Amazon Aid
by MZephyr
Summary: RanmaxAkane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?
1. A Change of Plans

**Amazon Aid  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?

There is a similarity in concept between this story and the short story "Best Served Cold" by Robert Knighton (which is not the story of the same name by vtr9kvictor). However, the focus of the two stories is very different. The focus in "Best Served Cold" is on the vision, and the resolution is dealt with in a few paragraphs at the end. The focus of "Amazon Aid" is on the resolution, and only the first few paragraphs concern the vision.

* * *

**Chapter 1. A Change of Plans**

In a room above a restaurant in Nerima, an elderly woman was sleeping, but it was far from a restful sleep. Her name was Ku Lon, although few in Japan could manage to pronounce it correctly. Most just called her Cologne, but either of these names was usually enough to frighten even the most seasoned of martial artists who knew of her. At the moment, however, it was she who seemed to be afraid. She lay tangled in the sheets, rolling back and forth, wrapping them ever more tightly around her limbs. Sweat plastered the sheets and her nightclothes to her body. Under her eyelids, her eyes darted back and forth wildly and, from time to time, a weak moan of inarticulate protest would escape her lips, the words not quite discernable.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright, wide awake and gasping for breath. "No, no, he cannot, he must not ... this must not be!" She spoke the words quietly, in tones which would permit no contradiction. Slowly she got her breathing back under control, the familiarity of her own bedroom helping to calm her. She carefully contemplated what she had just witnessed.

"That was a sending from my Amazon ancestors," Cologne told herself with conviction. "A severe warning, sent to me personally, that the path we are following will lead to great danger. I _must_ abandon all pursuit of the Saotome boy immediately, or the Joketsuzoku, my _people_, will be destroyed." She paused, tasting the truth of what she had said, and comparing it to the warning within the vivid images she had endured. "No," she realized, "even that will not suffice. His relationship with the Tendo girl must be stabilized within the next few months, or all may be lost. We are in part responsible for the difficulties which they face; it follows that I must take a hand in mending things."

She shuddered once again in memory of the nightmare she had witnessed, fully understanding for the first time what she had been told of Ranma's defeat of Saffron. She was now utterly convinced of the need to avoid, at all costs, a future in which Ranma Saotome might choose to swear vengeance against her people. Driven by the urgency of her vision, Cologne was unable to sleep any further that night. She got out of bed and dressed, then spent the hours before dawn sitting in a chair, making plans to prevent such a future from coming to pass. It was difficult for her to shift mental gears, making a complete 180 degree turn, as it were. She not only had to discard all plans for separating Ranma Saotome from Akane Tendo and wedding him to her great-granddaughter Shampoo, but must now try to achieve almost the opposite result. To make things even more difficult, Ranma had learned through long and bitter experience that he could not trust her.

Once she had roughly sketched out the tasks ahead of her, Cologne composed a message for the other Amazon elders, which described her hideous vision in detail, and which outlined what she meant to do in order to avert the disaster she had foreseen. She also requested a formal statement that Shampoo be excused from the penalties resulting from her failure to fulfill the obligations of the Kisses of Marriage and Death. In conclusion, she asked that they ship her a little 'device' which would be useful to her plans later.

After the sun finally rose into the sky, she arranged for a telegram to be sent to her home village in China. Not for the first time, Cologne wished that the other elders would agree to have a telephone line run in. This telegram informed them that the longer message was on the way, and briefly summarized its contents without going into details which were not for the eyes of outsiders.

In addition to Cologne and her great-granddaughter, there was a third resident of the household, a young male from their home village. This young man, Mousse by name, did most of the hard work at the restaurant, as well as whatever other chores the two female Amazons required of him. Although it was still quite early, there were a number of things Cologne wished to accomplish that day, so she awakened Mousse in order to set him a task. This was accomplished by the simple expedient of whacking him over the head with her staff until he was alert.

"Wake up, Mousse! We are not going to open the café today, but I need you to go out and gather some information. I want to know what everyone is up to. All of the Tendo's, the Saotome's, both Kuno's, Ukyo Kuonji and, if you can find him, Ryoga Hibiki. But for the sake of our ancestors, if you do find that last one, don't follow him anywhere, because I want this information today. Now get dressed and get moving!"

She was hopping out of the door before the boy's feet were on the floor. He was grumbling, and unfortunately for him the words "old mummy" were audible in the grumble. An ironwood staff zipped back around the doorframe, whacked him over the head once more, and then disappeared again. As Mousse dressed and left, he wisely avoided saying anything else loudly enough to be overheard.

Shampoo emerged from her bedroom, yawning, just as Cologne reached the top of the stairs. The girl was headed toward the bathroom, wearing a robe and carrying a towel, but paused as the elder approached. Cologne addressed her, in a voice which was firm but laced with sympathy. "Good! You are up, child. That saves me the bother of waking you. Come into my room, now. I must speak with you." The teenage girl briefly considered protesting that it was much too early, but the look in the elder's eyes warned her to obey if she didn't want any lumps on her head. So she followed quietly instead.

"Sit down, Shampoo," the old woman said, pointing at her chair. The girl did so while Cologne remained facing her, balancing upon her staff. "I must speak with you about duty."

"Great-grandmother know Shampoo always do duty to tribe," was the proud reply, spoken in the broken Japanese which was all that she could manage. Cologne sighed, and decided that for the moment, clear communication was of the utmost importance.

#Let us switch to our own language for now,# Cologne said. Shampoo's eyes widened. Unless they were planning something secret, while in Japan she was always required by the elder to speak Japanese. #I have some questions to ask you, and I do not want there to be any chance of misunderstanding. You are always willing to do your duty, you say. No matter how painful the sacrifice?#

The girl was surprised that she even had to answer this. #Of course, elder. I am a warrior. I know about sacrifice, and will endure whatever is required from me for the good of our people.#

#You would give up anything, no matter how badly you might desire it?#

#Yes, elder.#

#Would you willingly assist a former enemy, if this were in the best interest of your people?#

Shampoo hesitated. According to the warrior code of the Joketsuzoku, a former enemy was a dead enemy or a slave, but she was beginning to get the idea that this conversation was not entirely hypothetical. To what enemy might she be required to give aid? The Musk? Unpalatable, but she could manage. Happosai? Surely Cologne of all people would not be asking that of her. She realized that she had hesitated too long, as a frown was forming on the old woman's face. #Yes elder, if it were necessary for the greater good of our people, then I am sure that I could assist an enemy.#

#Would you accept heartbreak, sorrow, scorn and possibly worse, while seeing another enjoy the happiness which you hoped to have for yourself?#

Shampoo was definitely getting a bad feeling about this. Endure heartbreak? The only thing likely to break her heart would be to lose her airen, Ranma. For this to lead to the happiness of another ... surely her grandmother could not mean ...

Again she had taken too long. Cologne spoke sharply. #Warrior! This elder requires your answer!#

Well-schooled obedience forced the girl to give voice to her confusion. #I ... I am willing to endure any suffering or pain for the good of our people, elder. That is the way of the Joketsuzoku. But ... I do not understand, elder. I can think of only one thing which fits what you are saying, and I ... failure to fulfill the Kiss of Marriage would require my death. Do you wish my death?#

Cologne sighed wearily. #No child, I do not, but you have guessed correctly.# Shampoo gasped, a hand rising quickly to cover her mouth, as tears sprang to her eyes. The old woman went on, pretending to ignore these signs of weakness in this, her most beloved descendent. #I am speaking now as an elder of our people, not as your great-grandmother. I have received a warning, in terms which cannot be ignored, that the pursuit of Ranma Saotome must cease. Our ancestors further demand that I must aid him to secure his future with Akane Tendo. It has been made clear to me that this is necessary for the good, nay for the survival, of the Joketsuzoku. In the best interests of our people, I, as elder, dissolve the Kisses of Marriage and Death which you have given to those two. You are _ordered_," Cologne eyed the girl very sharply, "to make no further attempts to win Ranma Saotome's love, or to make trouble between him and Akane Tendo. I may even need to call upon your aid in assisting my efforts to bring them more firmly together. Can I count upon your help? Or must I send you back to China? Will you prove yourself to have the bearing of a warrior, or will your behavior be more like that of a small, untrained child?#

The face she turned upon Shampoo was as immovable as bedrock. There was no give in her statements, no place to respond with a 'but.' The teenager began shaking like a leaf. She whispered, #I hear your words, grandmother, and I will obey, but I do not understand _why_. Must I then accept death for my failure? Must I be the blood sacrifice for the future of our people?#

Cologne's voice softened a little. #No child. It is not failure, for you did not give up. You are being ordered to abandon the chase. If there is any punishment to be meted out for this decision, then it should fall on me, and not on you ...# Her voice now hardened again. #... unless you disobey my order, and either do not give up the goal of winning his love, or seek vengeance against the Tendo girl.#

Shampoo shook her head sharply. Falling back on her warrior's code, she answered proudly, despite the tears which were running down her face. #I will do as you have demanded. I am a warrior, and I know how to perform my duty.#

"Good," said Cologne, switching back to Japanese again. "Mousse is out learning what he can concerning the various parties most directly involved, in order that we may lay our plans properly. When he returns I will explain matters as they now stand to him. You need not be present for that."

The girl nodded listlessly, not wishing to contemplate Mousse's reaction to the news. "May Shampoo go bathe now?"

"Yes, child. And you may take your time. We will not be opening the café today. There are other things to be done now, which are more important than our restaurant."

Shampoo slowly pulled herself out of the chair, and shuffled out into the hall.

* * *

When he returned later that day, Mousse's report contained no particular surprises. Ukyo was at her home, as was usually the case lately. She seemed to be uncertain of Ranma's attitude toward her since her part in the destruction of the recent wedding attempt, and was thus sticking to her restaurant except for the time spent in school. Kodachi Kuno was testing a new paralysis potion on her servants, which one could assume that the wealthy, spoiled girl intended to use to her advantage on Ranma. Tatewaki Kuno was training hard with his katana, beheading dozens of mannequins dressed in black pants and red Chinese shirts. Happosai was away from Nerima at the moment. Cologne put that piece of information together with the account in the morning paper about a massive pantie raid on a girls' dorm at Tokyo University, and thought she could make a pretty good guess as to his probable location. Ryoga had been observed wandering around the outskirts of Nerima, muttering deprecations about Ranma and how he would help Akane to see the light.

Among those more closely involved, Mousse had followed Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome to an appointment with one Rei Omi, a priest for a reclusive cult who might not have heard about the chaos of the previous marriage attempt. Mousse had positioned himself to eavesdrop just in time to overhear the words "bride and groom." Ranma's mother, Nodoka, somewhat ominously, was honing the edge of her katana. Perhaps that helped to explain why the fathers were scheming again, as it provided them with an excuse to get out of the house and away from her blade.

As for the others at the Tendo home, Kasumi was watching soap operas while doing laundry. Akane and Ranma were taking advantage of the beautiful weather to sunbathe out in the yard, while Nabiki surreptitiously took photographs of them, presumably to sell to their various admirers. Interestingly, Akane and Ranma were lying near one another, with no apparent animosity or arguments.

Cologne nodded to herself over all of this, reasonably well pleased. All was normal, as it should be. There was no reason for her to act with undue haste. With Mousse still standing where he had delivered his report, she called Shampoo down. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Shampoo stood expectantly, her features downcast, but holding up better than might perhaps have been expected.

"I have my first tasks for you, child," the old woman told her. She held out three envelopes. "Two of these are letters which I wish you to mail. Please take them to the post office, obtain appropriate postage for them, and hand them over to be delivered."

Shampoo silently took the first two envelopes, glancing at the names and addresses. One contained the letter to the other Joketsuzoku elders which explained Cologne's vision. The other was addressed to one "Ryu Kumon." Shampoo shrugged at this one; the name meant nothing to her. She looked back up, waiting to be told about the third envelope.

Cologne continued her instructions. "When you have done that, I want you to find a priest ... what was his name, boy? Oh yes, Rei Omi. Mousse will give you his address. This envelope contains some money. I want you to ensure that by evening, he is aboard a cruise ship out at sea. It would be better, perhaps, that he not be in any condition to protest or even be aware of this generosity on our part."

"Shampoo is to shanghai a priest, Grandmother?" the girl asked carefully.

Cologne cocked her head to one side, a little irritation showing. "I did not put it so bluntly, but yes. Now go, I have other matters to which to attend."

After obtaining the address from Mousse, Shampoo left the café on her errands. The elder then sat down with Mousse and explained what was going on. To say that the boy was overjoyed would be an understatement, and Cologne was very glad that Shampoo was not present. Mousse's happiness would have been like rubbing salt into the girl's emotional wound. It was all very well to say that an Amazon was expected to stoically endure all pain, but there was no reason to inflict needless suffering. Indeed, Mousse wanted to jump up at once in order to find Shampoo and declare his undying devotion, and it was all that Cologne could do to keep him from carrying out this desire, but the elder was not yet finished with him. Once she had regained his attention, Cologne asked, "So then, Mousse, given that he is no longer a rival for Shampoo's affections, how do you feel toward Ranma Saotome?"

Mousse considered this question seriously before answering. "Although his overweening pride and arrogance annoy me, he is a good fighter and has shown himself to be a man of honor. With the bond of the Kiss of Marriage between Shampoo and he dissolved, the matter of the woman I love no longer lies between us. I have no further complaint against him."

Cologne nodded with grave satisfaction. She had hoped that this would be the case. "Very well," she stated, "then this is what I want you to do next." She went on to explain very carefully that she wanted Mousse to go to the Tendo house, and what she wanted him to do and say when he got there. Then the elder insisted on rehearsing it with him. Not satisfied with his performance, she made him rehearse it again. Cologne still was not satisfied, and expressed her frustration.

"Idiot boy," she yelled, "pay attention! I have explained our ultimate goals to you and why they are important. Your task here is not just to remove one of the rivals, but to do it in such a manner that Ranma Saotome is not removed from the picture as well! This will require a certain delicacy of touch. If you cannot manage it properly, then I will ship you back to China and find some other way to accomplish it!"

Mousse sighed, realizing that he had not taken her earlier explanations seriously enough. It finally began to sink into him just how vital it was that they pull this off correctly. In order to prove how seriously he was now taking the situation, Mousse removed his glasses from his pocket and ostentatiously settled them upon his face. He turned a look of intense concentration on Cologne, and told her, "I am ready to try again, elder."

This time their rehearsal satisfied Cologne, but she still insisted on running through it one more time. Pronouncing him as ready as he was likely to get, and giving one last threat of what she would do if he failed her, she waved him off and watched as he slipped out the door. Cologne offered a heartfelt prayer to the ancestors that the young man would get it right, then turned her attention to other matters.

A short time after leaving the café, the Chinese boy was peering over the wall of the Tendo compound from a nearby rooftop, checking on the situation. Akane and Ranma were still there, sunbathing, but Nabiki was no longer at the window with her camera. Reassured, he leaped down to the road, then over the wall, landing very close to the two, startling them both with the unexpectedness of his arrival. Akane was wearing a one-piece red swimsuit, cut high on the sides, which also demonstrated that she most certainly _did_ have some cleavage. In fact, Mousse reflected, perhaps he ought to offer his own glasses to Ranma. If the boy could look at her wearing that and call her "unsexy," then he definitely needed them more than Mousse did. Ranma in turn was wearing a pair of blue shorts, and was the first to respond to the perceived threat, jumping to his feet and holding himself ready in case of attack.

Ranma realized that he was as upset about being disturbed when he and Akane were calmly getting along for once, as he was about the possibility of being attacked for no apparent reason. "Mousse! What do you want now? Can't we be left to quietly enjoy one peaceful afternoon without anyone bothering us?"

Akane stood more slowly and moved up to stand behind Ranma, and a little to his left. Mousse gave a small inclination of his head, acknowledging the existence of both. He answered exactly as Cologne had suggested, pompous wording and intonations included.

"Saotome. Tendo. I have come to warn you of a plot the old mummy is preparing, to which I cannot be a party. Her intention is to produce a situation in which Ranma will appear, to you Akane, to behave in a completely unreasonable fashion. His behavior would not be truly unreasonable, but to realize this would require knowledge which you do not possess. The goal would be to infuriate Akane and to cause a major fight between the both of you. Handled carefully, one or both of you could be manipulated into calling off the engagement. The old mummy believes that this would leave Ranma available for Shampoo, and provide an opportunity for my beloved to express sympathy for Ranma, in hope to gain his love, while not coincidentally angering Akane even further."

Ranma and Akane reacted with weary exasperation. "Why can't they just leave us alone?" Ranma asked irritably. He took a step closer to the near-sighted Mousse, lowering his voice menacingly. "Are you willing to give us any further details about what they are planning? What you've said so far isn't really enough to let us know what's coming."

Mousse was silently impressed that the elder had predicted Ranma's response nearly word-for-word. "I am, in fact, here to do so," Mousse replied. "However, most of what I have to say must be addressed to Akane since the plot is dependent, as I said, on a lack of knowledge on her part." He turned deliberately toward the girl, clearly excluding Ranma from the conversation. "Cologne plans to take advantage of a secret which has been kept from you for some time, and which has previously been used to cause considerable friction between you and Ranma. A secret concerning one of Ranma's rivals. Luckily I have never been sworn to silence on this matter, only threatened with dire consequences if I should reveal it to you. Thus I may expose this secret without dishonoring myself by breaking an oath."

Ranma suddenly had a suspicion that he knew where this was heading. With a wild look in his eyes, he stepped between Mousse and Akane, sweat beading his forehead. Sounding a bit frantic, he said, "Mousse, if this is what I think it is, you can't ..."

He was interrupted by Akane laying a hand on his arm. She looked into his eyes, seeking something. There were embers at the backs of her own eyes, not yet anger, but with the promise of its potential. "Ranma, is this something that I should know about? Something that perhaps you should have told me about?"

Ranma swallowed convulsively, then looked down at his lap and nodded. "I've wanted to tell you. God knows I wanted to. But I couldn't. I can't." His voice dropped down to an agonized whisper. "I promised."

"What do you mean?" she wanted to know. "What promise?"

As much as he enjoyed seeing Ranma put on the spot, Cologne's instructions had been very specific. While it might be unavoidable that Akane would become angry with Ranma in this matter, Mousse was to do what he could to reduce the damage. "I believe," Mousse put in, stepping forward again, "that he _did_ make a promise to keep this secret. He cannot tell you without breaking his word, which would dishonor him. That is the one thing I have always been able to respect in Ranma, how very important his honor is to him. Mind you, I think he takes it to ridiculous extremes, but that is part of who he is. So however much he might want you to know, he cannot tell you himself. Or rather, he cannot tell you directly. I do believe, however, that his honor has allowed him to give you hints, in the hope that you would figure it out for yourself. Is this not so, Ranma?"

Ranma shifted his weight and looked away, obviously wishing that he could take himself elsewhere, but Akane's hand on his arm held him in place.

"This is all very mysterious," Akane said, confusion warring with a sense that she should be angry about something. "Can you speak more plainly?"

"One thing before he does," Ranma grated out. "I did _not_ promise to keep everything a secret. I only promised to keep the one fundamental fact a secret." His voice burst with sudden anger. "I had no idea when I did what the bastard was going to do next!"

Akane regarded him with wide eyes for a long moment, startled by this outburst, then turned back to the other. "Please, Mousse. Tell me?"

Mousse nodded. "Shampoo and Cologne have known for a long time that Ryoga Hibiki also carries a Jusenkyo curse." Akane gasped in shock, her eyes shifting toward Ranma who gave a small, sharp nod of his head, confirming the information. Mousse made a sharp throat-clearing sound and she forced herself to look back at him. "I have seen him transform myself," he said, "so I know it for a fact. I do not know how he came by it. I do know, however, that he seems to blame Ranma most bitterly for it. He has been using his curse for some time to cause trouble between you and Ranma, perhaps inspired by this bitterness, perhaps for some other reason. He is back in Nerima again, and Cologne plans to use him and his curse to drive the two of you apart completely, by making you think that Ranma is completely unreasonable and maybe even perverted."

Akane looked to Ranma once more for confirmation, and he nodded again, wordlessly. "How?" Akane asked Mousse hoarsely. "How could he be using a curse to cause us trouble? I don't remember any animal doing anything to us. Or does he transform into another human form, one of the people who cause trouble around here?"

The Chinese boy shook his head, then went on quietly. "His cursed form is a small black pig. A small black pig you know as your pet, P-chan."

Akane's hand dropped from Ranma's arm, eyes widening in shock. Then she smiled, tempted to laugh, amused that they had so thoroughly taken her in by their practical joke. But her smile faded as the expressions of both boys remained entirely serious. Ranma looked like he was facing his doom. "It ... it can't be true. It can't!" She grabbed Ranma's arm again, much more forcefully. "Tell me it's not true!" she screamed.

Ranma just shook his head, unable to speak. Akane's eyes widened in horror, as the reality sank in. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. "No! No, no, no! How could he? How could you? What do you mean, you couldn't tell me? How could you _possibly_ keep something like this a secret?"

Ranma's voice seemed to come from a great distance. "I didn't promise to keep it secret that he was your pet. I promised that I would never tell anyone about his curse. It was only _after_ I made that promise, that he tricked you into adopting him as a pet. I hated what he was doing, I tried to stop him, but you kept defending him, and I was bound by my word. I tried dropping all kinds of hints, hoping that you would catch on, but you never did. So I had to slip into your bedroom at night whenever he was there, to take him out."

Akane looked up for a moment, her face covered with tears. "Is that why I sometimes woke up to find you there in my room at night? I thought ... I called you a pervert! It was because you were trying to kick him out?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "The times you caught me anyway. There were plenty of other times that I got him out without you noticing."

She looked down at her lap again, sniffling. "You still should have told me!" she half-shouted in a strangled voice.

"Akane?" Mousse spoke to her softly, trying to distract the girl before she worked herself into a state where she blamed Ranma indiscriminately. "Could you have? Try to put yourself in his place. If you had sworn an oath on your honor as a martial artist, could you have broken it? However much it hurt to keep it?"

"Of course!" she shouted, then went on more quietly, "I don't know. Maybe." She rubbed at her eyes violently with the back of her hand. "I feel like such a fool!"

There was no safe way to respond to this, and so, wisely, neither boy said anything. But part of her wanted to kick Ranma for not denying her words immediately. She looked at both of them, and her eyes settled on Mousse. "Okay, Ranma swore not to tell anyone. Why didn't you tell me before this? What did I ever do to you?"

Mousse shrugged. "You were a friend of Ranma Saotome, who is my rival. The situation caused him great distress, which pleased me. And after all, you and I have never particularly been friends." He smiled in memory. "Practically the first time I met you I was trying to turn you into a duck. Given Cologne's threats if I did tell you, it was easy to decide not to. But this time they are going too far. Besides, if they did succeed in breaking the two of you apart completely, it is possible that Ranma might turn to Shampoo, and I am of course very opposed to that."

Ranma shook his head. "I got no intention of marrying Shampoo, no matter what else happens in my life. You're welcome to her, as far as I'm concerned."

Akane turned to him again, this time in surprise at his frank admission that he would never choose Shampoo. Then she shook her head to clear it. That wasn't the important thing right now. She looked at Ranma with an expression of disappointment and intense pain. "It's not a secret anymore. The least you can do is tell me what happened. You owe me that much!"

"About Ryoga?" Ranma asked. She nodded, and he looked thoughtful before he began speaking. "You remember that duel he and I were supposed to have in middle school? How I waited three days for him to show up, before my father dragged me away to China? That Ryoga showed up on the fourth day?" Akane nodded again. "Okay. Well, just before you adopted him as your pet, Ryoga told me the rest of the story. It seems that he followed me all of the way to Jusenkyo and got there just after I'd fallen in. When I first came out of the spring and saw what had happened to me, I thought that I would be stuck as a girl forever. I was chasing pop all over the valley, and if I'd caught him, he'd be dead now." There was something in the deadpan delivery of this last statement which suggested that this was literal truth. "According to Ryoga, a red-haired girl chasing a panda bear knocked him off of a cliff into one of the pools." Ranma shrugged. "I dunno. I was in such a rage I wouldn't remember. I believed him 'cause when he told me, he still hadn't found out that pop changes into a panda. So I figured I was at least partly to blame. His cursed form is a small animal, which would make it dangerous if an enemy knew about it." Mousse nodded his own head emphatically at this, thinking of his own duck form. "I thought that the honorable thing to do was to promise him that I would never reveal it to anyone." Ranma gave a short humorless laugh. "Although, if you want to know the truth, at first I thought he was the neighbor's dog."

Ranma sighed, kicking at the grass with his toe. "Then later that same night you introduced me to P-chan, and I discovered that it was him. I wanted to strangle him, but I couldn't come right out and tell you because I'd already made that stupid promise. That's why you caught me in your room later that night with the kettle of hot water. I was threatening to pour it on him to force him to leave your room." He winced. "Sorry about you waking up to find me lying on top of you that night. I was trying not to wake you and the porker managed to knock me down."

Akane nodded, but a thundercloud swept across her face. "And just how do you explain the other times? The times that you prevented me from accidentally finding out? Like the time you caught him just before he fell into the fountain right in front of me? I'd have known, and you'd have kept your precious promise!" With each question she punched him and her voice rose higher, until at the end she was beating on his chest and shouting. Then she burst into tears again and he grabbed both of her arms.

"Akane, I ain't got no excuse. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. You're absolutely right. I was wrong. I guess ... I just knew how hurt you'd be, and I kept hoping that I could convince him to stop doing it, without you ever finding out." He sighed and looked away from her, feeling unbelievably stupid. "I guess I really am a fool when it comes down to it. Shall I leave? I can be packed and gone within the hour."

He was completely flattened by the mallet which crashed down on top of him. "You complete _moron_! Do you think you're just going to run out on me! Don't you possess the basic courage to face the consequences of your decisions! Yes I'm hurt by what you did. Very hurt. And I'm furious with you. But if you want a chance to ever be forgiven, then you're going to stick around and take whatever you've got coming, until I do decide whether to forgive you. Besides," she added in a quieter voice, "I'm also furious with myself for not having seen the obvious sooner. Most of all, I'm furious with Hibiki. 'Furious' doesn't even begin to describe my feelings toward him." As she expressed these last feelings toward Ryoga, there was an expression on Akane's face which Ranma did not at first recognize. Then he realized that this was because every time she had ever been angry at him, it was a 'hot' anger, which had quickly passed. This was the first time that he had ever witnessed her in a cold fury.

Akane turned back to the other boy, making an effort to be civilized. "Mousse, thank you for telling me this. I wish you had done so a long time ago, but as you point out you had little reason to tell me, and plenty of reason not to."

Mousse stood and bowed to her. "It has been my pleasure. Now I must be leaving before the old mummy realizes that I am missing and begins to suspect what I may be doing." He turned and hopped back over the wall, disappearing from sight.

Ranma groaned from the pit in which he had been driven by the mallet blow, then sat up, pulling a tuft of grass out from between his teeth. "I'm sorry. I am really, really extremely sorry," he said. "I wish that I had made better choices, and I deserve whatever punishment you feel is necessary."

Akane grunted, then turned to leave. "You can begin by staying out of my sight for the rest of the afternoon. I am going to change, then go break bricks by the dojo. Lots of bricks. Lots and lots of bricks. I will see you at dinner time." Ranma watched as she vanished inside the house. He decided that for now it would be safest to stay where he was.

* * *

That night when the combined families gathered for dinner, Akane sat down in her usual place beside Ranma. She seemed calmer than earlier, and although she was cool toward him, it wasn't much worse than it usually was after they'd had an argument. Ranma felt oddly encouraged. She even asked him a question about the work he had done on a school assignment which was due the next day. Wanting a refill on her tea, Akane went into the kitchen to get the kettle which had just started whistling.

At that moment, everyone heard a soft "bweee" sound, and Ranma's head snapped around. The little black pig with the polka dot bandanna was trotting into the room from the outside, looking just as proud as he could (he only got lost twice on the way from the gate in the wall to the house). Ranma shook his head and said, "P-chan, believe me, you'd better turn around and get out of here fast." The pig's response was to run up and bite his ankle.

Ranma shook him off with a grunt of pain, and the pig immediately bounced back to his feet. He stood there glowering at the boy, nostrils flaring. Ranma looked up above the pig and then closed his eyes.

A moment later, Ryoga was rolling around on the floor naked, screaming in pain from the boiling water which Akane had poured on him from the kettle. Akane glared at the suffering boy, her battle aura huge and her eyes glowing murderously. Then, in sudden suspicion, her eyes swept over the other occupants of the room. Ranma was looking at Ryoga with pity. Her sisters Kasumi and Nabiki, and Ranma's mother Nodoka, all had expressions of shock on their faces. Akane mentally lost a bet with herself in regard to her mercenary middle sister - it seemed that Nabiki hadn't known and been keeping it from her while using the information for profit. On the other hand, she noted with rising fury that neither her own father nor Genma Saotome looked surprised at anything other than the fact that she now knew about Hibiki's curse. She filed that thought away for later consideration. For now, she needed to focus on the one who had betrayed her.

Akane looked down again at the naked boy, who by now had gotten himself under control, having realized just how much of a show he was giving to everyone. He was now lying slightly curled, with his back to a wall, trying to use his hands to cover those bits of himself which he deemed most important. Fearfully, he looked up at the girl who had just scalded him, his eyes wide and bewildered by the sudden change in circumstances.

Ryoga's expression changed to one of terror as a mallet materialized in Akane's hand. He knew its power from having witnessed her using it on Ranma many times, occasionally in his own defense. The girl's next words added to the fear, as she raised the mallet. "Do you have any last words to share, Hibiki, before I end your pathetic excuse for a life?"

"A-A-Akane! You have to understand, it was all Ranma's fault! I ... I l-love you. I needed ... all I wanted to do was to protect you from him. He's a pervert. He was always sneaking into your room, getting into fights with you, calling you names. I was only thinking of you!"

The mallet came down with a crash, smashing the boy through the floor. Nabiki winced at the thought of the cost to repair that hole. Ryoga looked up dazedly at the fiery eyed girl standing over him, as she addressed him.

"How dare you speak to me of 'love,' you disgusting pervert! You used your curse to sneak into my bed and to spy on me when I was undressed! And to blame Ranma, who kept your filthy secret! He only snuck into my room to get a disgusting pig-pervert out of my bed! A lot of the fights between us were caused by you, pretending to be my friend or pet, while all of the time you were betraying me! If I _ever_ see you around this house again 'P-chan', I'll take you to a taxidermist to have you stuffed and mounted as a warning to other perverts! Now get out, before I really do kill you!"

Ryoga looked into her face and realized that she meant it. There was no drop of forgiveness or understanding anywhere in her eyes. He scampered out of the hole and, still inadequately attempting to cover himself, ran out of the house. Akane continued to stand there for a few minutes, eyes tightly shut, letting her battle aura slowly dissipate. Then she went back and sat down beside Ranma once more, eating her dinner with grim determination, clearly not tasting a single bite.

Nabiki was the first to break the uneasy silence. "Um, Akane?" she asked tentatively, a little worried about her sister's temper. "How long have you known? I mean, that Ryoga has a curse, and that he was your pet?"

Akane ground out the words, "Mousse told me this afternoon. Apparently Cologne had some scheme in mind to use P-chan to start another fight between Ranma and myself, and he decided to head it off. I guess Mousse thought her plan had a chance of actually working."

"And my son knew that this other man was sneaking into your bed?" Nodoka asked in a strained voice. Ranma winced. So did Genma. So did Soun.

"Yeah," Akane answered, sighing, "but the baka had sworn an oath to Hibiki that he wouldn't tell anyone about his curse, before he became my pet. Ranma tried getting him out of my room whenever he was there. Since he couldn't tell me directly, genius here," she nudged the shoulder beside her own, "tried to get around that stupid promise by dropping hints. But I was too dumb to guess the truth."

"You're not dumb," Ranma protested. "You're just ..." His voice trailed off weakly.

Akane made a face at him. "I'm still mad at you for not finding some surer way to let me know, and for protecting that pervert's secret." She sighed, releasing some more of the anger. "But I'm just as mad at myself. I should have figured it out."

Akane turned to her sister Nabiki on her other side. "I bet you're kicking yourself right now. I know how much it upsets you when somebody manages to keep a secret from you." Nabiki made an airy gesture with one hand, indicating that she could have found out if she had put her mind to it. With a tight smile, Akane continued, "However, you might console yourself with the thought of how lucky you are right now that you didn't know. If I had found out that you had kept this from me ..." Nabiki swallowed nervously, the look in her younger sister's eyes making her suddenly happy that she had _not_ known.

The two fathers both trembled slightly, upon hearing this sentiment directed at Nabiki, but things were about to become worse for them. Akane's voice became very cold. "Unlike, say, our father and Mr. Saotome. They knew about this." Her gaze shifted, to focus on her suddenly white father and the empty spot beside him where Genma Saotome had been sitting. That worthy froze in place, halfway to the outer door, which exit he'd been quietly creeping toward. He sat up, facing them and holding up a sign reading, "I'm just a cute panda," which contradicted the evidence of their own eyes as everyone stared at the bald man. In an artificially conversational voice, Akane asked, "So what is your excuse for not telling me about Hibiki's curse?"

Soun gave a nervous little chuckle and replied, "Eh, well, no real harm done and all that. The boy wasn't really trying to take advantage. And it did get Ranma to come to your room. There was always the hope that one night Ranma might stay, to keep the Hibiki boy from coming back if for no other reason."

The temperature around the table plunged to near absolute zero, as all four women, Nodoka, Kasumi and Nabiki, as well as Akane, looked upon the two men with disgust. Akane spoke in chilled, clipped tones, "Father. For the time being, please do not speak to me. I can't think that there is anything you could say that I would possibly care to hear. I do not see what you could do to possibly make this up to me."

Soun Tendo started to weep piteously, begging for a chance to redeem himself. Nodoka Saotome lifted her sheathed katana, glaring at her husband and his friend, and Ranma heard her mutter something about "dishonor" and "daughter-in-law." Some punishment was clearly needed, but it would be best to head off any irrevocable decision his mother might make. Casting about for an idea, his eye lit on the "dessert" Akane had prepared, which she claimed were cookies.

Ranma cleared his throat, causing everyone to look at him questioningly. "I've got a suggestion for what to do with 'em," he said, hooking a thumb at the two cowering fathers. He shifted position until he was facing Akane directly. "If you'd care to hear it, that is." Akane looked at him curiously, but then nodded. "Well, to go off on a tangent first, I know how much you'd like to be able to cook, that is, to cook stuff that people would be willing to eat." Akane nodded again, this time looking dangerous. Ranma swallowed and went on. "I know that you've tried to figure it out on your own, and I know that both Kasumi and my mom have tried to teach you. The way I figure it, though, is that cooking has become so instinctive for both of them that they might have a hard time teaching you." All of the women were now looking at him, considering his words. "Anyway, while I'm nowhere near as good a cook as them, I do know how to, and if you want I'd be willing to try to teach you. But if I do, I want to make one condition. Until I say otherwise, the only people we test out your cooking on is your pop and mine. They won't be allowed to eat anything else until they finish what you've prepared."

The two men were looking at Ranma in absolute horror. Nabiki and Nodoka had looks of manic glee on their faces, and even Kasumi's smile was larger than normal, although hidden behind her hand. Akane was nowhere near as happy, as the implication was clear. Everyone considered eating her cooking to be a punishment sufficient to fit the severity of this crime. She fought an internal struggle with herself, wanting to smash the boy for making such a suggestion, but at the same time trying to consider the offer objectively. Even though she hated to admit it, she knew that her cooking wasn't very good and did frighten everyone else. So their fathers would regard it as a severe punishment, as much in the anticipation, as in the execution. She winced at the double meaning in that last word. She did very badly want to learn how to cook well, and having Ranma teach her might actually work.

Finally Akane declared, "Okay Ranma. We'll try it your way."

Genma and Soun both fell down, covering their faces with their hands and moaning. Then they both abruptly stopped as they heard the whisper of metal as a katana emerged partway from its sheath. "I will ensure that they eat every bite of food put in front of them," Nodoka announced. The faces of the men lying on the floor paled further, as they now knew that they had no hope of escape.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Just a couple of clues about what's coming. There will be four chapters in all. Among the suitors/rivals, pairings will be provided for Ukyo and Kodachi. All of the Ryoga-bashing takes place in this chapter. He has no significant role in the remainder of the story.


	2. New Flames

**Amazon Aid  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?

* * *

**Chapter 2. New Flames**

The next few days passed relatively quietly, except that the two fathers had spent each night in intense agony from the meals they had been forced to consume. Their behavior upset Akane considerably, but she calmed down some after Ranma had a talk with her about it. He pointed out that, although she was still making a lot of mistakes, there were a couple of times where she had caught herself before making one of her common mistakes. Such as the time that she had reached for the drain cleaner, but then put it down before adding it to the recipe. Ranma also quizzed her on the food preparation techniques which he had been trying to teach her, and she cheered up more when she realized that she was able to answer most of the questions correctly. She might still have a long way to go, but perhaps there was some hope.

Also, although neither of them mentioned it, they were both enjoying the time they spent working together in the kitchen. It was a rare period of privacy, a time when no one was bothering them, probably out of a continuing fear that they might be asked to sample Akane's efforts. During the lessons the young couple were able to talk to one another without fear of interruption.

Over at the Nekohanten café, Cologne had received a reply to her letter. As it turned out, one of the elders back home had experienced a vision similar to hers, and the council had been discussing it when Cologne's telegram had arrived. The letter had simply confirmed matters. After consideration, it was decided that they must heed these warnings, for the good of their people. Cologne's decision to void the Kisses of Marriage and Death was confirmed, and they promised that Shampoo would suffer no penalty for her failure to carry them out. The council further confirmed Cologne's decision to do everything in her power to ease the situation, and to attempt to repair the damage done by their previous schemes. Finally, they stated that they were sending her the 'device' which she had requested.

On the fifth morning post-Ryoga (as Ranma thought of it) he stopped suddenly on the fence as they were walking to school. Akane went a couple of steps further before realizing this, then turned to look up at his confused face.

"What is it Ranma? What's wrong?" she wanted to know.

"Something's been feeling out of place the last few mornings," he replied, "and I just figured out what it is. There's been no sign of Shampoo for the past few days. This is about where her bicycle usually lands on me."

Akane growled, then pulled out her mallet and struck the fence, causing Ranma to fall to the sidewalk beside her. "I don't need to hear how much you miss your Chinese hussy hanging all over you!" she yelled.

Ranma blinked up at her. "I didn't say I missed her!" he shouted in turn. "I'm a martial artist. I'm supposed to notice if some pattern changes. It could mean something important. I mean, she could be sick; if so I'll just enjoy the few days break from her. Or she may have given up on me. Fat chance. Or she might be planning something. If so, I ought to try to figure out what before she attempts it."

"Honestly," Akane replied huffily, "can't you just be happy that she's leaving you alone? Come on, or we'll be late for school." She hurried off and, after a moment, Ranma started running and caught up to her.

Later that day a young man, by the name of Ryu Kumon, arrived at the Nekohanten. A sullen Shampoo led him to her grandmother, then left the two of them alone to talk. Once the preliminary courtesies had been observed, Ryu asked the elder, "Do I understand that Ranma Saotome has finally met his mother in his true form?" At Cologne's affirmative, and remembering the time that he had spent pretending to Nodoka Saotome that he was her son Ranma, Ryu added sarcastically, "I wish them both joy of the acquaintance."

Cologne chuckled dryly. "She is an unusual woman, is she not? But on to other matters. Would it be correct to suggest that you are jealous of Ranma Saotome's good fortunes, Kumon-san?" Cologne inquired.

Ryu gave Cologne a curious look. "You might say that. Now that I know that the sealed techniques of the Saotome school are intended for burglary, I am no longer interested in obtaining them. I have no wish to dishonor _my_ family in that manner. However, his father was still indirectly responsible for my own father's death and the destruction of our dojo. I would not mind a little revenge, particularly if it benefits myself in some manner."

The old woman cackled. "I believe I have a suggestion which you will like and could also prove of great benefit to you."

"Go on," the young man replied.

"Very well. You may not be aware, but my own great-granddaughter is supposed to be married to Ranma. He has so far refused to acknowledge her claim." Ryu nodded to show that he did, in fact, know of this. "Part of the problem is that Ranma has chosen to pursue another girl. If his pursuit of her were to be cut off, Shampoo would stand a much better chance with him."

"And you wish for me to somehow interfere in his relationship with this other girl? Do you mean the Tendo girl? And how would this benefit me?"

"No, I am not speaking of Akane Tendo. Akane Tendo is in no way competition for my Shampoo. No, the young woman in question is very attractive, nearly as beautiful as Shampoo if you can believe that. Which, as a young man, I hardly think you would object to." Ryu grinned cockily, to show that she had a point. "She is also from a very wealthy family. If you were to claim her, she could easily afford to help you to restore and reopen your family's dojo. And Ranma would lose his chance at her beauty and money."

The boy sat back thoughtfully. Of course, he would not agree with this idea until he had met the girl and decided for himself that it might be worth pursuing a relationship with her. There was no indication here that the two of them might be in any way compatible, and he had no intention of burdening himself with someone he did not care for just for revenge. On the other hand, who was to say that she might not be the girl for him? It certainly was as easy to fall in love with a rich girl, after all, as with a poor one. If they were to hit it off, it would be the perfect revenge. The old woman certainly knew which buttons to push, pointing out how his dojo could be rebuilt.

"What else can you tell me about her?"

Cologne pushed a slip of paper across the table. "This is her name and address. Kodachi Kuno. She is a martial arts gymnast, with strong interests in both horticulture and chemistry. She likes exotic pets. She is a little eccentric, but that is true of many of the martial artists in Nerima, not to mention people who are rich. Her father and brother are both fools, and a smart young man could easily manipulate them into giving him even greater control over the money. I believe it may be these very considerations which are tempting Ranma."

Ryu picked up the paper and looked at it. "Kodachi Kuno? Huh. Well, I suppose there's no harm in checking her ... ah, the situation out. If it works out, it would be all to the good, and I would have my revenge. If it doesn't I haven't really lost anything." He stood and bowed to her, then left.

"Mousse!" Cologne called out. The Chinese boy stepped into the room. "Go and keep an eye on him, but from a discreet distance. I need to know how things work out. Actually ..." The elder paused thoughtfully. "You might attack the Kuno girl and allow Kumon to save her. Such a thing is likely to impress her." Mousse nodded and left quickly, settling his glasses on his face to make sure that he did not lose his quarry. He was feeling more cheerful than he had in many months, more than happy to help with a plot which would keep Ranma Saotome away from his Shampoo.

Shampoo re-entered the room, having listened to the entire interview, and sadly asked, "Great-grandmother sure this work? Flower girl want Ranma too too much."

Cologne grinned enigmatically. "No, I'm not sure it will work. In fact, by itself I wouldn't want to count on it at all. I'm planning to do something else to help drive her into the boy's arms. However, I have something else for you to do. Tonight, shortly after closing, I need a commotion in the street in front of the Ucchan's restaurant. What kind of commotion, I leave up to your imagination, but it has to be something believable. In the meantime, you may assist me in making a potion."

After leaving the Nekohanten, Ryu Kumon first went by a library, to find out what he could about the girl. He read some newspaper articles on local gymnastics meets, which provided him with some more, albeit impersonal, information on Kodachi Kuno as well as providing him with some photographs. ‹The old woman was right,› he thought to himself while examining the grainy black and white newsprint pictures, ‹she is beautiful. If she's everything else that I was told, then it's no wonder that Saotome wants her.› A quick check through the phone directory confirmed her address, and a local map gave him directions to the neighborhood. So armed, he was off.

When he arrived near to where Kodachi lived, Ryu took up position on a neighboring rooftop, from which he could look down over the wall at her mansion and the grounds around it. After a short time, a lovely girl wearing only a form-fitting gymnast's leotard came out into the yard. He quickly identified her from the photographs as Kodachi Kuno. ‹Hmm. Even more stunning in person. Or maybe it's just that she's a little more mature now than she was when those newspaper photographs were taken.› He watched in bemusement as she fed an alligator which resided in a pond. From the distance, he thought he heard the girl call the alligator "Mr. Turtle." ‹Exotic pets, indeed.›

Kodachi went back into her house and emerged a short time later carrying a bouquet of flowers. They were of a dark color, almost black he thought. She hopped up onto her wall, and then onto a rooftop nearby. As she did so, she called out to no one in particular, "Ranma-sama, it has been too long since last I saw you. We will dance together this night."

As she prepared to hop onto the next roof over, a chain suddenly shot out and wrapped itself around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides. Kodachi looked around in shock, seeing a boy in flowing white robes with long black hair holding the other end of the chain. "What do you think you are up to, peasant?" she screeched. "How dare you do this?"

Mousse called in answer, "I need you as bait in a trap for Ranma Saotome. It is nothing personal, you understand, but I'm afraid that I am going to have to hurt you." He sent another loop of chain around the girl.

Ryu was already moving. He had his own sense of honor, and regardless of whether or not he would try to take the girl away from Saotome, he wasn't going to stand by and let this person, this gaijin, hurt her. Ryu stepped out from hiding and hopped over to the roof to join them.

Slipping into a fighting stance, Ryu spoke menacingly. "I don't know what you have in mind, fellow, but I'm not going to let you do it. Let her go. Now."

Kodachi Kuno blinked in surprise. The handsome young man bore a passing resemblance to her Ranma-sama, even if he was wearing camouflage pants instead of Ranma's customary outfit. The stranger was also offering to protect her, something which Ranma never did.

Mousse merely sneered and sent two blades flying toward Kumon, while still holding the chain. His opponent deflected the knives easily, and the fight was on. Mousse quickly realized that he was at a grave disadvantage. Not only was he handicapped by the need to hold the chain wrapped about Kodachi, but he had a pretty good idea of what Cologne would do to him if he hurt this Kumon character. ‹He's pretty good,› Mousse told himself. ‹He might be able to take me even if I was trying to win. I'd better end this before _I_ get hurt.› Maneuvering carefully, Mousse allowed himself to be knocked over the edge of the roof. He looked up from his position on the ground and shouted, "Very well! I'll let you have your temporary victory, whoever you are! But don't think this is the end of it!" Hoping that his little speech had not come off as overly melodramatic, Mousse ran off, only to loop back to again watch matters from a distance.

Kumon went over to Kodachi and began to unwrap the chains from her. "Are you hurt?" he asked, gently checking for injuries and enjoying the excuse to put his hands on her.

"No, kind sir, I appear to be unharmed," she replied. She looked down wistfully at the flowers which had been crushed, thankfully without releasing the drug from its container near the base of the stems. She looked up once more at her savior, with sparkles in her eyes, and said, "Would you please give me your name, that I may know whom to thank for my rescue?"

Ryu gave a grunt. "Well, around these parts most people only know me as Ranma Saotome, since that's the alias I was using for a while. My real name is Ryu Kumon."

Kodachi laughed richly, on the near edge of her usual maniacal laughter. "So you used the name of my true love, Ranma Saotome! How fascinating! But come, is there any way that I can show you my thanks for your aid?"

Ryu looked at her speculatively. "Well, if you wouldn't mind, could you have dinner with me tonight? I don't get to rescue a beautiful damsel in distress very often, and I would like to make the most of the opportunity."

Kodachi batted her eyelids at him, and slapped his shoulder playfully, saying "Flatterer. I was planning to go on a date with my Ranma-sama tonight ..." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "However, I see no reason that I cannot change my plans and meet him another night. Very well. Tonight you and I shall dine together. My house is right over there." She pointed. "Please come to pick me up at six o'clock."

Ryu bowed to her. "It would please me greatly to do so, my lady." He turned away, a cocky grin on his face as he imagined Ranma's look when his girlfriend called to cancel their date so that she could have dinner with another man.

Akane and Ranma were doing homework when Kasumi called him to the telephone. A few minutes later, Ranma hung up the telephone and turned to Akane in considerable puzzlement. "That was Kodachi Kuno. She said that she was sending her regrets, but that it would be impossible to meet me for our date tonight, as there was another man she had to dine with instead."

A hurt look crossed Akane's face, followed by a rising storm of rage. "You had a date planned with Kodachi tonight? And you were too cowardly to even tell me?" She pulled out the mallet.

"Whoa. Hang on, hang on." Ranma backed away quickly, his hands held out to her, palms outward. "No we didn't have a date. I haven't even seen Kodachi in days. That's what was so puzzling, 'cause I have no idea of what she was talking about."

"Oh," Akane said a little more quietly as the mallet disappeared. She looked up, suspicious once more. "You're sure?" Ranma nodded emphatically, and Akane sighed, regretfully letting go of her anger. "Okay, then you're forgiven. This time."

As Ranma went to sit back down, he whispered to himself, "What exactly am I being forgiven for?"

Kodachi enjoyed herself thoroughly over dinner at the Thai restaurant. Ryu Kumon proved to be a witty conversationalist, and had many exciting tales to tell her from his past. She regretted that her Ranma had never taken her on a date like this, and then grinned mentally as she remembered Kumon's alias and realized that she was at that very moment on a data with a "Ranma." After dinner, they took a romantic walk in a park before he escorted her to her home. Just before she went in, Kodachi extracted a promise from him (which he guided her into requesting), that he would come by the next day for a tour of her greenhouses.

In another part of town, Shampoo leaped over the wall of the Tendo compound and latched onto Ranma. "Hello airen. We go on date, yes?"

"Shampoo, leggo of me!" the boy yelled.

"Ranma, what are you doing with Shampoo!" Akane shouted, running up.

Shampoo stuck out her tongue at the other girl, saying, "Airen give Shampoo big hug, agree to go on date. Not want date too slow girl, built like brick."

Akane had been getting ready to hit Ranma, but at this comment changed her target to Shampoo. The purple-haired girl dodged at the last moment, and slipped around to Ranma's other side. "Ha! Kitchen destroyer too too slow. Never catch Shampoo!" Akane ran around Ranma, but Shampoo had jumped up onto the wall.

Shampoo blew a raspberry from her position atop the wall. She waited until she saw the muscles in Akane's legs bunch in preparation to jump, then shouted, "Violent girl never catch Shampoo!" She leaped down into the street just as Akane landed atop the wall. The black-haired girl jumped down and gave chase. A moment later Ranma jumped over the wall and followed them, mumbling imprecations, hoping that Shampoo didn't have anything dangerous in mind. When a young boy jumped out into the street and shot him with a water pistol, changing him into a red-haired girl, he accepted it as only what was to be expected and kept running.

After a merry chase, Shampoo abruptly stopped and allowed Akane to catch up. A foot shot out in a kick for Akane's stomach, which she only just barely managed to dodge. As Ranma ran up, he saw with fright that the two of them were fighting. His heart settled a little as he took note that Akane was holding her own in the fight, while at the same time feeling a little puzzled by it. When had Akane gotten good enough to give Shampoo a real fight?

A voice from beside him asked, "What's going on, Ranma-honey? Did these two decide to kill each other to leave you for me?"

Ranma looked over to see Ukyo Kuonji standing beside him, with her employee Konatsu just beyond. At the same time he realized that they were standing in front of her restaurant, Ucchan's. Keeping a wary eye on the fight, he asked, "I hope this isn't interrupting business?"

Ukyo gave him a scornful look and replied, "Don't you own a watch Ranma? Or haven't you learned my hours yet? I closed the restaurant half an hour ago. I was inside preparing supper for Konatsu and myself when I heard the commotion and came out to investigate." She looked over at the combatants, and asked thoughtfully, "Has Akane been getting better recently?"

Ranma shook his head, "I don't think so. Or rather, yes, she has, some. But not enough to take Shampoo on. I think ... Shampoo must be holding back. For some reason. Can't imagine why though."

Ukyo considered this, watching the fight, but realized that she couldn't come up with a reason either. The possibility that she was playing with Akane, in order to humiliate her, crossed her mind but was then discarded. Nothing about the fight was particularly humiliating, and Shampoo was taking hits which would leave some serious bruising.

With shocking suddenness, Shampoo gave a kick which sent Akane sprawling. She smirked and said, "Shampoo hold back and see what pervert girl can do. Little better, little faster, not good enough." She blew a kiss at Ranma, then suggested, "See airen later, yes?" She then turned around and ran off.

Ranma went over to help the red-faced Akane to her feet. She glared at him, daring him to comment, but as he wisely kept his mouth shut, she was left with nothing to which to react. Akane stomped off in the direction of home. Ranma looked helplessly at Ukyo, who shrugged her shoulders, grinning broadly. When he walked off slowly, to follow after Akane, Ukyo sighed, wishing that she had dared to invite him inside to share her dinner. Ranma had been acting very coolly toward her ever since she had helped destroy the attempted wedding between himself and Akane. And he hadn't even _wanted_ to marry the other girl. She would have to resign herself to patience, knowing that she had to regain his trust before she would be able to make him see that she was the right choice for him.

With that thought, Ukyo signaled to Konatsu and the two of them went back inside, to finish preparing their evening meal. They separated to eat, Ukyo taking hers up to her apartment above the restaurant, while Konatsu did likewise to his little room off the ground floor. Out in the alley, an old woman grinned, growing more grimly satisfied as the last of the meal was consumed by both parties. Only when it was all gone did she leave them to their fate.

It was perhaps half an hour after the meal, while watching television, that Ukyo began to realize she was feeling a little strange. Her thoughts kept drifting to Konatsu, downstairs, wondering what he was up to. After the show, while changing into her pajamas, Ukyo wondered if she and Ranma would ever manage to get together. She indulged herself in a little fantasy, imagining Ranma standing there in the room with her, but unexpectedly his features metamorphosed into Konatsu's. Shaking her head to free herself of the image, Ukyo settled down to watch some more television.

When a knock came at her door, Ukyo looked up at it in puzzlement, but then stood to answer it, putting on a robe before doing so. She was surprised to find Konatsu standing there. "Mistress Ukyo, may I please come in and speak with you?" Nodding, Ukyo stood back and allowed the ninja waitress to come in. They both sat down on the couch, and Ukyo waited for him to speak. She couldn't help but notice how Konatsu's pajamas emphasized his masculinity, in a way that his normal feminine garb never did.

"Mistress Ukyo," he began hesitantly. "I ... I ..." He seemed trapped, unsure of how to proceed. Ukyo slid closer to him and rested a hand on his arm, seeking to reassure him, but they both jerked back in surprise. Ukyo had seen a sudden image of herself and Konatsu, a little more mature, sitting on this couch, watching two children play on the floor. She wondered if he had seen something as well. Konatsu swallowed heavily, then turned to Ukyo, and there was a plaintive look in his eyes.

"I was sitting downstairs, meditating, when I realized that all I was thinking of was you. Of course, I often think of you, for you have been more kind to me than anyone I have ever known. Certainly better than the living members of my own family. But this was unshakable, and strong, stronger than anything I've ever felt. I don't know why, but I felt driven to come up here, to see you."

Ukyo felt herself start to shake as he spoke. In the normal course of the day she was occasionally aware of his graceful movements as he slipped around the tables within her restaurant. She was often amused by the lust with which her male customers regarded her 'waitress,' but also felt occasional twinges of envy that 'he' made such an attractive 'she.' Envy, or jealousy? She felt suddenly unsure. She found herself being assailed by images of the two of them, in a variety of settings. Ukyo started blushing, as a few of the images were carnal in nature, but most were not. She saw the two of them working in the restaurant together, sitting at a table, walking along the seashore, laughing, talking, tucking a child into bed. Had she ever imagined Ranma like this? Certainly not in such depth. She noticed that the young man beside her was blushing as well.

"Konatsu," she whispered. "I'm not sure what's going on, but it's happening to me too. It's like I've been asleep and I'm finally awake. Or maybe like I've just looked at you for the first time. I'm a little worried over how suddenly it happened to both of us, but it seems so _right_ somehow." She scooted over even closer to him, and he slid an arm around her shoulders. She relaxed into the embrace, feeling warm and comforted.

"Ukyo." For the first time ever, he dropped the title 'mistress.' "I too feel as if my eyes were just opened, but only to allow me to see what I already knew, but did not know that I knew, if you understand. You have always been a shining light to me. I have admired you and wanted to please you. But now I begin to think that my feelings go much deeper than that. I do not know how deep, but I would like to find out."

Ukyo looked torn. "I ... I feel the same way," she whispered, "and I'm scared. I've never felt anything this strong before. It feels like you were meant for me. But this is too sudden, it isn't natural."

Konatsu's face became grim. "Shall I go, then, Mistress Ukyo?"

"No!" The single word was an agonized cry, torn from her. "But just ... hold me, okay? Nothing else. If you like, you can tell me more about what you're feeling. Are you also getting these ... brief flashes, pictures of the two of us ... together?"

Konatsu nodded, and began to describe what he was seeing. The two of them discussed it long into the night, as they gradually became more comfortable in the other's presence than they ever had before.


	3. Delusion's End

**Amazon Aid  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?

* * *

**Chapter 3. Delusion's End**

The next morning, Ukyo and Konatsu were preparing the restaurant for the business day, while giving one another occasional helpless grins. It was making the work take longer, but she didn't seem to mind. Looking out of the window at the street outside, she saw Cologne bouncing by on her staff like a pogo stick, accompanied by Mousse, just as they were passing over the spot of last night's fight. An idea suddenly crystallized as several thoughts came together at once. The unexpected nature of the feelings she and Konatsu suddenly had for one another. Shampoo fighting with Akane, but to no apparent purpose. Shampoo's great-grandmother, who was an expert at potions. Ukyo hurried outside to confront the Amazon elder.

"Hold up there, Cologne," Ukyo called out as she quickly walked up to the pair. They stopped, and Cologne regarded the girl interrogatively. When she was even with them, Ukyo asked without preamble, "Did you slip me some sort of potion last night? Me and Konatsu, that is?" To her embarrassment, she felt herself flush at the sound of his name.

"What makes you ask that?" inquired the elder.

"Don't try to evade the question!" demanded Ukyo. "Konatsu and I both started feeling funny at the same time last night, and started acting oddly, feeling things, seeing things. You're the local expert on artificially induced experiences, so how about you tell me what's going on?"

"My, my." The old woman cackled. "Did the two of you do anything naughty?"

Ukyo blushed hotter, while Mousse looked on with amusement. "No! We ... You did do something, didn't you? This is all your fault."

"Then you did do something naughty," Cologne concluded gleefully.

Ukyo shook her head furiously. "No! We ... talked. We just talked. ... All night. And held each other a bit. And even today, we're saying these really sappy things to one another. And we can't stop grinning at one another! So what did you do? And what's the antidote? There is an antidote, isn't there?"

Cologne regarded her with a devilish smile. "As a matter of fact, you are correct. The potion that I gave to the two of you reveals feelings which have been kept hidden. It cannot make you feel anything that is not already felt, it only brings things to the surface which you have hidden from yourself, and others." Cologne looked pointedly at a clock on a nearby building. "It should also have worn off approximately four hours ago."

Ukyo blushed even harder. "And how do we undo the feelings it caused?"

Cologne shook her head. "Weren't you listening? That potion did not 'cause' any feelings. Anything you now feel, you already felt, and there is no antidote for self-knowledge."

The chef wasn't sure that she was ready to contemplate all of the implications of that. Instead she asked, "So if this potion is so effective, then why didn't you ever try it on Ranma?"

Cologne gave a dry chuckle, and spoke with a hint of resignation coloring her voice. "Because I already knew full well what feelings he had hidden, and I did not want them revealed. They would interfere with convincing him to become Shampoo's husband. Besides, Ranma has become most suspicious where matters of my potions are concerned. If I had made the attempt, then after he discovered it I might not have lived long enough to learn anything of the result. Now, if you have no further questions, there is another chore which I need to see to this morning."

Ukyo stood and watched as the pair continued down the street. She wondered what hidden feelings of Ranma's the old woman was so sure that she knew. Somehow she suspected it did not involve Ranma's love for herself.

After several more minutes of walking, Cologne and Mousse came to the gates of the Kuno mansion, home of Kodachi Kuno and her older brother Tatewaki. Their request for entry was finally answered by the ninja servant Sasuke, who grudgingly invited them in and went in search of his master and mistress. Before long, the brother and sister were seated in front of them, and Cologne began.

"I am here to tell you the story of a fearful place which lies near my home in China. In a near inaccessible part of the mountains lies a valley known as Jusenkyo. In this valley are hundreds of small pools of water, fed by springs. Only the most foolhardy venture there, for almost all who do fall into one of the springs and receives a curse."

"A curse, you say?" asked Tatewaki with amusement.

"Yes. The curses are similar in overall effect. A cursed individual will transform into some other creature when splashed with cold water, and will be restored to his or her true form when splashed with hot. The person's mind does not change, only the body. The particular creature into which one transforms is determined by which pool the unlucky person falls into."

"An amusing tale," Tatewaki said, grinning, "though it seems unlikely. Furthermore, why do you feel that we need to know this?" Beside him, Kodachi was looking curious.

"I will explain why in a moment, first I wish to be certain that you understand the basic facts. Now Mousse here is one of those unfortunate individuals who bears such a curse." Both of the Kuno siblings raised their eyebrows at this pronouncement. "The water please," Cologne asked, holding out her hands. Mouse sighed, and drew two thermoses out of his sleeves. Cologne held up one of them. "This thermos contains cold water. Please watch closely." She uncapped the thermos and poured water over the Chinese boy, who promptly shrank and disappeared inside his robes. An indignant quack was heard, after which a duck's head appeared.

Both of the Kuno's had pulled back into their seats in shock. Tatewaki quickly recovered. "That is an interesting illusion. However, I believe that so-called stage magicians perform such tricks before gullible audiences every day."

"Perhaps," Cologne said. "Mousse, please indicate that you can understand Japanese by flying to sit on the back of the chair behind the girl." The duck promptly did so, but this was quickly dismissed as ordinary training. So instead, Cologne decided to suggest their direct involvement. "Would you care to ask the duck a question of your own?" she queried.

Kuno would. He asked, "What is the sum of five and seven?" The duck quacked, then flew over to a vase of flowers. While wishing that a smaller sum could have been requested, he pulled a dozen flowers out of the vase and laid them side by side. This feat was regarded as a little more impressive by the pair.

Cologne next asked, "Would you care to come over and place your hand upon the duck while pouring hot water on it? That way you can be sure that no substitution is made, that the duck has truly transformed back into my employee Mousse."

Tatewaki stood up and walked over warily. He picked up the thermos of hot water, then placed a hand on the duck's back. As he poured he felt the body shift underneath his hand, and realized that his hand was now on the back of the Chinese boy. Who was now nude, much to Kodachi's amusement and even appreciation.

Kuno fell back into his chair in shock. "There was no replacement. He truly did transform under my hand. How terrifying such a curse must be."

"I have more water if you require further proof," Cologne said, earning a glare from Mousse.

Kodachi said, "I will take you up on that." She stepped forward, and lifted the thermos of cold water. Placing a hand on the back of the boy's neck, she poured and felt the body under her hand shrink down until that hand was on the duck. A shudder ran through her body. Forcing herself to remain steady, she picked up the hot water and poured, changing him once more back into the boy. Shaking, she resumed her own seat. Mousse scrambled to get back into his clothing.

Tatewaki said, "I am forced to believe you. It must be a terrible burden to bear. But I still do not see why you wished me to know of this."

"The reason is simple enough," the old woman said. "One day, almost two years ago, Ranma Saotome and his father entered that valley. They both came away cursed."

Kuno's eyes narrowed at the mention of his rival's name, but lit at the thought that he must live with such a curse. Kodachi's eyes went round at the thought that the man she loved was at times an animal of some species.

"And what animal does the cursed one become, if I may ask?" Tatewaki was beginning to smile beatifically, imagining revealing Saotome's curse to his beloved Akane, and having her tell the rival to begone from her life forever.

However, Cologne only said, "His father's curse is to become a panda bear. Ranma's curse I choose not to tell you. It will be simple enough for you to discover. All you need do is to splash him with cold water."

Kuno nodded. "Indeed. I thank you for this information. I shall put it to good use."

"I hope that you may," the elder answered. "I wish you luck, but now I must be going."

"Sasuke will see you to the door." Tatewaki waved his servant forward, and watched as the Chinese pair left. "Well, dear sister, it would seem that the man you profess to love is truly monstrous after all."

Kodachi's face had become pale. She whispered, "That is yet to be seen, brother."

"True," he replied, "and I suggest that we go see now. Sasuke, please collect some water and accompany us."

A few minutes later the three of them were headed down the road, the servant burdened with several pitchers of water of differing temperatures. As they walked, Kodachi caught sight of someone familiar.

"Kumon-san!" She waved to him, and the boy came over. "Last night was a most enjoyable evening. When do you expect to come by to see my plants?"

Ryu smiled and replied, "I was thinking of heading over there soon. But it appears that you have a destination in the other direction?"

"A matter to be investigated with one Ranma Saotome," Kuno declared, looking the new face over curiously. "We are told that he bears a curse, and we are going to see for ourselves."

Ryu's smile became even broader. "Could I then accompany you? I would like to see this as well."

The four of them continued, and eventually came to the Tendo home. Upon entering the gate, they spotted Ranma out in the yard, together with Akane. The two groups converged on one another.

"Kuno, what are you doing at my house?" Akane yelled. "And you're not welcome here either, Kodachi."

"Personally, I'm a little more interested in what you're doing back here in town, Kumon," Ranma said rather pointedly.

"I'm just accompanying the lady here," Ryu answered while grinning. He figured that Ranma could not afford to act jealous in front of his official fiancée.

"Enough!" declared Kuno. "Akane my love, I have recently come into information that this foul one here bears a curse, which I believe him to have been hiding from you. I am here to see this for myself, and if so, to show it to you. Sasuke, the water please."

Both Akane and Ranma were staring at him after this speech, amazed that the knowledge may have finally penetrated his brain. Akane began, "But Kuno, I already know ..."

Kuno took a pitcher of cool water from his servant. Removing the lid, he flung the contents over the pigtailed boy, watching expectantly for his transformation into some animal form. He had been speculating happily during the journey as to just what animal it might be. A weasel? A mole? A pig?

Instead everyone watched as his features flowed and became those of the red-haired girl whom he knew as his pigtailed goddess. Kodachi gave a strangled cry and then, much to the delight of Ryu Kumon, turned and buried her face into his shoulder. Tatewaki simply stood and stared for several long seconds, his mouth hanging open. Akane stepped up to him and waved a hand in front of his eyes, getting no reaction. "I think you broke him," she said. Ranma gave a weak chuckle. A moment later, Kuno finally stirred, and gave a sound like steam escaping. He then fell to his hands and knees and vomited noisily. Everyone drew back in disgust.

Kuno looked up with a dazed expression, eyes unseeing. "Why? Why did no one inform me?"

Ranma spoke in a soprano voice. "Kuno, everyone at school knew, except for you. I transformed right in front of your eyes, more than once. How much more did you need to be told?"

Kuno shook his head back and forth, trying to deny the truth. For the better part of two years he had been chasing another male, and _everyone_ at school knew of this. He tried to block the memories, but now that it had been pointed out, he could recall the incidents when he had seen the transformation. He had interpreted them differently at the time, but he had seen them.

With a heartrending cry, the stricken boy leaped to his feet and ran, disappearing through the gate. Sasuke picked up the dropped pitchers, poured the water out of the rest to make them lighter, and then followed his master. After a moment's hesitation, Kodachi spoke quietly, "Ryu-sama, please take me away from this ... this ... creature!"

"Hey now!" Ranma started, but Akane quickly clamped a hand over the redhead's mouth. Ryu was grinning like the cat who got the canary while he led the beautiful gymnast out of the yard and back to her home.

Ranma shook his head, unable to make sense of it all. "What just happened, Akane?"

"I think ..." Akane paused. "I think that you no longer need to worry about being pursued by either of the Kuno's. Count your blessings, and for heaven's sake, don't do anything to try to change Kodachi's mind." She then scowled. "Unfortunately, it probably won't do me any good. Kuno won't stop chasing after me just because of this."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Sorry 'bout that. Still, I wonder who finally managed to break through their delusions and got 'em to see the truth? And what was Kumon doing back?"

Akane shrugged, having no answers to give to him.

* * *

On Monday, shortly after his arrival at school, Kuno awoke to his surroundings to realize that he was sitting in the locker room. He realized that he must have dozed off, and wondered why he felt so oddly refreshed. He also could not work out why he was wearing his kendo outfit and had a bokken leaning against the locker. With considerable puzzlement, he changed back into his school uniform and proceeded to his classroom.

When Akane and Ranma came through the gates of the school, they were surprised to find that Kuno was not waiting for them, shouting something about freeing his love from the foul sorcerer. With each step toward the doors they kept expecting him to jump out, but he never did. They were completely mystified when they reached their classroom unmolested. It seemed unnatural.

"Hey Ranma," Akane whispered to the boy in the desk beside her. "Do you think Kuno might still be feeling sick from yesterday?"

"I dunno, 'kane. I guess we'll just have to wait until lunchtime and see if Nabiki knows anything."

In a senior classroom, Nabiki Tendo sat down in her seat and looked in puzzlement at the boy beside her. Tatewaki Kuno was dressed in his school uniform and sitting at his desk early. He appeared to be in fine health, and his hair looked especially glossy.

"Kuno-baby, are you all right this morning?" she asked him. "I mean, you weren't out front waiting for my sister or attacking Ranma or anything."

Kuno looked over at the girl beside him with disgust etched on his features. "If it is all the same to you, I would rather forget that Ranma Saotome ever existed. Even now, the thought that my pigtailed goddess ... urggh. Please, it makes me feel ill all over again. I shall be having something to say to my fellow members of the kendo club for not making this matter clear to me a long time ago. Now what were you saying about your sister? Why would I be waiting for Kasumi Tendo this morning? As I recall, did she not graduate two years ago?"

Nabiki looked at him in confusion. "I was talking about Akane, you dope!"

"Akane?" Kuno rolled his tongue over the name, as if the taste was completely strange to his mouth. "Who, pray tell, is that?"

Nabiki was now openly staring. "Did you hit your head or something this morning? Akane is my sister whom you've been pursuing for almost two years."

Kuno considered, and then shook his head. "Nay, I have suffered no injuries. Indeed I feel quite fine this fair morning. Further, I have no idea what foolishness you are spouting. The only maiden whom I have pursued in the last two years was ... well, as it turns out, Ranma Saotome." His mouth had twisted bitterly at the end of this sentence.

Nabiki fished around in her bag for a minute and then pulled out a photograph. Showing it to the boy, she said, "This is Akane. My sister."

Tatewaki took the photograph and looked at it. He brought it up close to his eyes, then held it far away. He turned it onto its side, and even held it upside-down. Then he handed it back. "My apologies, but I am sure that I have never met this girl in my life. I do not know what game you play this time, but I am not paying." At that point the teacher walked into the room, preventing further inquiry on Nabiki's part.

At the same time that these events were occurring, two separate acts of breaking and entering were also being perpetrated. A purple-haired Amazon broke into a mansion and, after subduing the ninja servant, carried out the task which had been assigned to her by her great-grandmother. Meanwhile, that selfsame elder was slipping in through a second story window of a more modest house which stood beside a dojo.

At lunchtime, it was not necessary for Akane and Ranma to go in search of Nabiki. She came marching up to them, pulling Kuno vigorously behind her. Nabiki stopped in front of the pair and pointed.

"That. That is my sister. Akane Tendo. Now do you remember her?"

Kuno bent forward to peer right in the girl's face, causing her to draw back hurriedly in disgust. He then turned back to Nabiki. "As I told you earlier, I have never met this damsel before. I am quite sure that I would remember. What did you say was her name?"

Akane's eyes were starting to shine gleefully. Nabiki started stamping a foot and shouting. "Akane! Akane Tendo! She is my sister Akane, you moron!"

Ranma tapped the angry girl on the shoulder and hesitantly asked, "Er, Nabiki? What's going on?"

She snapped at him, "This idiot doesn't remember Akane or anything about her!"

"Well, okay. But isn't that a good thing?" Ranma asked her. Akane was bobbing her head up and down emphatically, an exultant look on her face.

"Are you kidding?" the brown-haired girl demanded. "Do you know how much money I won't be making if this idiot can't remember her?"

Ranma snorted. "Shoulda known. Hey Kuno. Do you remember me?"

Kuno looked at him in nausea. "Unfortunately, yes. Would that I could forget." With that he turned around and strode off.

Nabiki stared after him, fists clenched. "That incomparable moron. I'll make him remember. I know! His bedroom at home is practically a shrine to Akane. I'll take him there right after school and point it all out to him!"

"Um, sis?" Akane said. "I'd really rather he didn't remember me, you know?"

Nabiki shot her a withering look, and stamped off back into the school. Akane turned to Ranma and asked, "What do you think happened?"

Ranma scratched his head, then replied, "Dunno. He was acting a lot like the time that Shampoo used the Xi Fa Xiang Gao shiatsu technique on you to make you forget me. However, I sure can't see why she or Cologne would want to make Kuno forget you. Hell, I'm pretty sure they'd wanna stop anyone who tried. Maybe he just hit himself over the head with his bokken or something."

"I suppose," Akane responded thoughtfully. "I guess we'd better hurry and eat our lunches, while we still have time. Say, where's Ukyo at? She usually catches up to us right away to try to feed you her okonomiyaki. But I don't see her anywhere."

Ranma looked around. "You're right, that is strange. She was acting pretty strange in the classes this morning too. Standoffish, y'know? I know I been kinda cool to her lately, but she usually makes a point of talking to me every day. Trying to get back in my good graces I thought. I wonder what happened?"

Akane shrugged and started opening her bento. "I'm just as happy. Though I hope there's nothing wrong."

At the end of the school day, Nabiki Tendo was seen exiting the gates almost before the bell stopped ringing, yanking Tatewaki Kuno behind her. A short time later, they entered his home and made their way straight to his bedroom. Nabiki threw open the door and proclaimed, "There! Look!"

"What am I looking at, Nabiki Tendo?" he wanted to know.

Nabiki looked around the walls in shock. Not a single poster of Akane, not a photograph. There were some pictures of himself winning a kendo match. A tasteful seascape as well. She ran in and started yanking open drawers. Nothing. Not a single picture of Akane, anywhere to be found. She pressed a button causing a panel to slide back and reveal a hidden shrine. It was filled with posters of the red-haired onna-Ranma, but not one image of Akane.

Kuno turned green. "Ugh. I had forgotten to take those down. How the sight nauseates me! Sasuke! Sasuke, come here immediately and take away these posters and destroy them!" The boy strode rapidly out of the room seeking his servant.

Nabiki was left standing there, turning around slowly, trying to understand. All of it was gone. Someone had taken all of Kuno's memories of Akane, and removed all of the evidence from his home as well. ‹But who?› she wondered. ‹The Amazons could have done it, just like they did to Akane that time. But they wouldn't. It wouldn't help Shampoo to win Ranma in any way. Hell, it would cause them more trouble to have Kuno stop chasing after Akane. But who else would or could do it?› In a very distracted state of mind, she slowly left the room and then the house, walking slowly back toward her own home.

Her day became worse, much, much worse, when she got home. She walked into her room wearily, only to see her safe standing open. And empty. Well, not exactly empty, as the account books were still in there. But all of the photographs, negatives, tapes, documents, and other materials which she used to blackmail or extort money from people were gone. There was a single typed note left in their place, which she picked up and read in trepidation.

_Nabiki Tendo_

_As you have no doubt noticed, all of your evidence which you have been using to blackmail people is gone. You have my word that it has not only been taken, but also destroyed. Only ashes now remain. Further, letters have been mailed to all of the affected individuals, informing them that these materials have been destroyed. I daresay they will wish to have a word or two with you about it._

_Have a nice day._

Nabiki scowled, feeling a touch of worry, but whoever had done this was a fool to think she was so unprepared. She pulled out her cell phone and called one of her lieutenants. When the call was answered, she began, "Saori ..." only to be immediately interrupted. "Nabiki? I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I don't know how it happened. ..."

"What? What happened? Saori, calm down and tell me."

"The backup records, Nabiki. They're all gone! Everything! All of the photos, the recordings, everything! Nothing's left!"

Nabiki felt a ghost crawling up her spine. She tried once more to calm the girl, then hung up. She called another girl who had a second set of backups only to find that the same thing had happened. With fear starting to claw at her, she dialed the number of the lawyer who kept the final copies, not knowing what they were, only that they were to be released in the event that something final happened to her. In terror, but by now without much surprise, she listened as he begged her forgiveness. Someone had broken into the safe in his office and stolen the documents she had left with him.

A few minutes later, Ranma paused while doing a kata in the dojo to stare at the girl who had just walked in. Nabiki's face was as white as milk, and he ran over and barely managed to grab her as she fainted. Her color started to come back quickly enough, and she soon revived, but there was real fear in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Ranma?" she whispered. "I think I'm in trouble. Bad trouble."

The boy sat down facing her. "I suppose that you'd better tell me about it."

"Yeah. Um, where's my sister?"

"Assuming that you mean Akane, she left again right after we got home. Said she had something to do, but didn't tell me what. Now why don't you tell me what's going on, at least, if you want my help with it."

Nabiki nodded, looking like she was about to cry. "You know how much I like to make money." Ranma snorted, but waved at her to continue. "And you also know that in addition to peddling information, I charge fees in exchange for keeping secrets."

Ranma frowned. "Yeah, I know. You've done it a time or two to me. Or three or four. Most people call it blackmail, you know."

Nabiki nodded again, not meeting his eyes. "Yeah, I know. It never really bothered me before. I took precautions. All of the evidence was kept in a safe. I had backups in safe places. I even had stuff left with an attorney, with instructions to release it if anything happened to me. I should have been safe."

"What happened?"

"Someone was smarter than me," she whispered. "All of my records, all of the backups, even the stuff with the attorney, it's all gone. Someone managed to break in and steal all of it, every last bit. I've got nothing left. Nothing to protect me."

Ranma replied worriedly, "So I suppose whoever did it is going to be the one blackmailing everybody instead. You got any idea who it is?"

Nabiki shook her head. "I've got no clue. But I don't think they're planning to blackmail anyone. They left a note that said they destroyed everything. They also said they sent letters to everyone telling them that all of the evidence was destroyed. This time tomorrow, everyone's going to know that I have nothing to hold over them anymore. My life won't be worth a one yen piece."

Ranma rubbed his forehead with both palms. "And I suppose you want me to try to protect you, is that it?"

Nabiki looked up at him, with moisture glistening in her eyes, and fear written across her face. "Please? I'll do anything, but please ... help me?"

Ranma sighed, knowing that in some ways she deserved to be left to her fate, but also knowing he couldn't stand by and watch while it happened. He thought for a few minutes while Nabiki watched his face, worried what his answer would be. Finally he spoke.

"Okay, Nabs. I'll help. But I got conditions, and you've got to agree to them. Otherwise, you're on your own. Understand?"

Nabiki nodded slowly, still afraid, but with a spark of hope.

"All right. You're going to have to swear some things to me. First off, from now on no blackmail, extortion, or anything else shady. Not just from Akane or me, I mean not with anyone. Second, you're going to agree to pay back every yen you took from anyone by blackmail, and I know you've got records so don't pretend you won't know how much."

Nabiki objected, "But I don't have that much money!"

Ranma shook his head. "Too bad. You've got a lot, considering all the money you got in other ways, from bets and selling photos and everything else. If that won't cover it, you find some _legitimate_ way to raise the money. Get a job. Sell photographs of yourself. Whatever it takes."

Nabiki hung her head, knowing that he was right. Her total assets wouldn't fall very far short of what she would need to repay, and it wouldn't be all that difficult to raise the rest of the money. However, her plans for how she was going to live while attending the university had just become a lot more frugal.

"Third, from now on you don't interfere with or exploit me or Akane in any way. No eavesdropping, no photos, nothing. You do anything of the sort, and I'll let everyone at school know that I'm withdrawing my protection. Understand?"

Nabiki nodded again, not looking at him.

"Okay," he continued, "in exchange for your agreeing to all of that, I'll let everyone know that you're under my protection. That so long as you repay everything you took, that they're not allowed to hurt you, or else they'll have to answer to me. And I'll follow through on that, if I need to. But I'll expect you to be polite to them, and not say things that will make 'em mad with you. Well, not any more mad than they'll be already."

Nabiki sighed. Her heart rate was slowing back down to normal, and fatigue was starting to overcome her. She asked, "Should I swear those oaths now?" Ranma nodded, and she went on, "I swear that I will no longer engage in blackmail, extortion, or similar acts. I swear that I will pay back all of the money that I received through such methods. I swear that I will no longer interfere with or exploit you or Akane, or any other member of my family. Is that sufficient?"

Ranma looked stern, but inside he was beginning to think that this might end up working out for the best. He was still worried, there was a chance that somebody sufficiently upset might attack Nabiki, but privately he did not think it very likely. Anyone who might attack her knowing that he would retaliate would have been unlikely to put up with the blackmail in the first place. He answered her, "Yeah, that'll do. You'd better get started on having your people put out the word, and make sure they spread it before you show up at school tomorrow. Also, you walk to and from school with Akane and me for at least the next several days, and meet us for lunch as well."

"Right," she said, her voice a little firmer. She looked up and gave him a tentative smile. "Thank you, Ranma." She got up and, walking a little shakily still, went back into the house.

Ranma did not immediately return to his kata. He stood and meditated for a while. There had been too many changes lately, something was definitely going on. The only question was, what? And was it for good or ill?


	4. Resolution

**Amazon Aid  
By M. Zephyr**

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Communications, and its characters have been borrowed without permission. This story was written for non-commercial purposes only.

Ranma x Akane. What would happen if Cologne were to decide, for the good of her people, that Ranma and Akane should get together?

* * *

**Chapter 4. Resolution**

Over at the Nekohanten, Akane stood in the street outside for some time, watching the café. She was trying to make up her mind about whether or not to risk going inside. As she watched through the windows, there was no sign of anyone other than Mousse waiting on the tables. Finally, she decided that the need to satisfy her curiosity outweighed the risk, and she went in.

"Hello, Akane Tendo," Mousse greeted her as he walked up. "May I show you to a table?"

"Actually, I would like to talk to Cologne if you don't mind."

"Well, I certainly do not mind. Let me go and see if the elder is willing to speak to you." He disappeared through a door into the kitchen, and returned a minute later. "Elder Cologne says that she would be quite willing to speak with you. Please step through that door, and you will find her in the kitchen."

Akane pushed open the door and walked in, eyes quickly scanning the room. The withered Amazon elder was perched on her staff stirring a couple of large pots. Of Shampoo, there was no sign. The old woman turned her head slightly and said, "Greetings, Akane Tendo. Please have a seat at the table, and we can talk."

Akane took the proffered seat, and asked, "Is Shampoo around?"

Cologne smiled, feeling certain that Akane was hoping that the answer was 'no.' She replied, "My great-granddaughter is upstairs in her room resting right now. She has been under a bit of a strain lately. Now what may I do for you?"

"There was a curious incident at school today," Akane began, choosing her words carefully. "It seems that Tatewaki Kuno can no longer remember who I am. Ranma mentioned that it looked like the Xi Fa Xiang Gao which was once used on me, but dismissed the possibility since he couldn't fit it in with any scheme to win him as Shampoo's husband. But I'm not as sure. It seemed such a specific memory loss, and that technique is the only one I've ever heard of that behaves like that. I also can't see why you would do it, but I have to admit that I'm rather curious whether you did. And if so, why?"

Cologne gave the girl a long look, stirred the pots once more, then hopped over to the table. Mousse came in, filled some bowls, then disappeared again. Cologne filled her pipe, carefully lit it, and started smoking it thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, child, I did take the memory of you from the Kuno boy. Among other things that I have done recently."

Akane looked puzzled, despite the fact that she had come here half-expecting that answer. "Can you tell me why? The only person that I can see it helping is me. You've never shown any inclination to help me before, so I'm forced to wonder what's going on."

The old woman sighed, sounding the age that she looked. "I would ask that you not tell Ranma this yet, because he has been conditioned to be very suspicious of us. I am concerned that he would think it is only part of some new scheme. But the truth is that Shampoo's quest to gain him as her husband has been ended." Akane gasped in shock, her eyes going very wide. "The council of elders has given orders that we are to leave matters here in as cordial a state as possible. They would prefer not to have the warrior who defeated Saffron as an enemy. So I took steps to end the Kuno's pursuit of both you and Ranma."

Akane stared at her in enlightenment. "So _you're_ the one who finally broke through their delusions and made them realize the truth about Ranma's curse."

Cologne nodded. "Yes, with the aid of Mousse for demonstration purposes."

"May I ask what else you are planning to do?"

Cologne looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. "You may _ask_ anything you wish, so long as you are respectful about it. However, there are few things which I will answer. I like to keep my little secrets."

"Oh." Akane frowned. "Are you planning to continue running the café, or will you be returning home soon?"

"We will in fact be returning home, although 'soon' is a relative term. We will not be leaving in the next week or two, but I do not expect to be here for very much longer."

Akane nodded. "I'm afraid that I cannot say that I'll be sorry to see you go."

Cologne grinned. "Under the circumstances, that does not surprise me. We have not exactly made your life easier by our presence. On the other hand, there is something else which I would like to do, with regard to you, before we go."

"And what's that?" Akane asked curiously.

"I would like to train you a little," the elder admitted. "Not very much," she quickly warned, to head off the girl's enthusiasm. "After all, a few weeks of work will only do so much. But I was thinking that maybe we could get your skills to a point where you could give Ranma a ... surprise."

A maniacally gleeful look blossomed on Akane's face. "I would like that very much, elder."

Cologne chuckled over the girl's expression. "So be it. We will begin right away, and you will come over every evening to train out behind our restaurant. Come with me and I'll give you an outfit to change into, which you will use for the training. Mousse! Go wake Shampoo and tell her that she must take over the cooking. I'm going to be busy for a while."

Later that night, while they were working on their homework, Ranma asked, "Hey Akane, what's up? You look pretty tired. And you're moving kind of stiffly."

"Oh, nothing much, Ranma," she replied. "Just a little too much exercise I guess. I'll be fine."

* * *

A few more days passed. Kodachi was seen going out on dates with Ryu Kumon. Kuno continued avoiding Ranma, turning slightly green whenever he saw the pigtailed boy. He still could not remember who Akane was. Ukyo was speaking to Ranma very little at school, but kept giving him strange looks, as if she were trying to puzzle something out. Soun and Genma were suffering through the forced consumption of meals prepared by Akane, although they weren't getting quite as sick as she was making fewer mistakes. Akane herself was disappearing each night after dinner, refusing to say where she was going, and she returned looking tired and with stiff muscles. Ranma was starting to consider following her one night, despite her demands that he not do so.

Nabiki was having a rough time at school. Of course, with her Ice Queen persona she had never had very many friends, but people had always feared to be openly hostile toward her. That fear was now gone, and she was wilting under the constant barrage of glares and snide comments. Fortunately for her, the information had spread that Ranma would protect her and would take vengeance if necessary, provided she kept her word to pay everyone back. This had been confirmed by Ranma himself, and proved sufficient to protect her from physical expressions of hostility. She had begun the process of repayment, and had taken an afternoon job doing bookkeeping for a department store, in order to raise the additional funds she needed for this task. She was still making book on Ranma's and others' fights, and other events people liked to wager on, and she was still selling information, but she strictly avoided any acts which bordered on blackmail or extortion.

With Nabiki keeping her word to grant the young couple their privacy, and the fathers feeling too poorly at night to contemplate doing anything at all to trouble them, Akane and Ranma found themselves with the opportunity to talk honestly to one another to an unprecedented degree, without fear of being overheard or interrupted. As a result, they found that they were getting to know each other in a way that they could scarcely have contemplated even a few weeks previously. Ranma was beginning to wonder if Akane might even be willing to go on a date with him if he asked, and if they might be able to manage to do so without their fathers going completely nuts on them.

So matters stood the morning Cologne arrived at the Tendo home. The three teenagers were at school and Kasumi was out shopping, while the two fathers had snuck off somewhere for a bout of prolonged drinking, each telling the other that they needed to fortify themselves for the coming ordeal of dinner time. Thus it was Nodoka Saotome who opened the door to her. Ranma's mother looked at the frail and elderly woman, who was obviously only standing with the aid of her staff.

"May I help you?" she asked curiously.

"Nodoka Saotome?" the extremely old Chinese woman asked. On getting a nod of confirmation, she introduced herself. "I am Ku Lon of the Joketsuzoku."

"You are Cologne?" Nodoka echoed incredulously. The old woman looked so frail that a breeze might blow her away. "My son has mentioned you."

Cologne nodded. "I expect he has. There is a matter I wish to discuss with you, concerning your son."

Nodoka stepped back and, looking curious, offered, "Won't you please come in, then?"

The two of them went inside, and sat in the family room, facing one another. Cologne spoke first.

"As I am sure that you are aware, we maintain that my great-granddaughter Shampoo has a claim to Ranma Saotome as her husband. It has come to our attention that you hold a contract which, at your whim, could require my son-in-law to commit suicide. Naturally, we consider this to be unacceptable."

Nodoka looked affronted. "First, we do not recognize Shampoo's claim to Ranma. There were pre-existing engagements ..." She grimaced as she pronounced the word in the plural. "... and Ranma must fulfill one of those. By preference, the contract between the Saotome and Tendo families. As for the contract signed by my husband and son, that is a matter of our family's honor, and none of your concern."

Cologne smiled. "I had expected that we would not see eye to eye on these matters. However, I have a proposal. I believe that you are quite skilled in the use of the blade you bear?" Nodoka nodded confidently. "Then I propose a challenge. Let us repair to the dojo, where we shall try your blade against my staff. Should you win, then, upon my honor, Shampoo will surrender all claim to Ranma forever. However, should I win, you shall agree to destroy the seppuku contract in Ranma's presence, as soon as he comes home from school."

Had Ranma been present, he could have advised his mother about the odds of this fight going her way. Of course, given the potential outcome, it might be that he would choose to keep silent. In any event, he was not present, and despite everything she had heard Nodoka only saw a frail and elderly woman sitting across from her. The possibility of eliminating any further talk of marriage between her son and the gaijin Shampoo proved too much of a temptation to resist. "Very well," she spoke in a haughty voice, "I accept your terms. Shall we deal with this at once?"

Cologne motioned with her hand in the general direction of the dojo, and the two proceeded there. They took up stances facing one another, and Nodoka pulled her blade from its sheath, allowing the light to flash from its sharp edge. After a few moments study of one another, they closed. Their weapons blurred as they passed one another.

It was finished in that single pass, as Cologne turned and watched the other woman slide to the floor, unconscious. However, she found it necessary to pause for a moment to steady the sudden increase in heart rate she had experienced. A large lock of the elder's hair was lying on the dojo floor, and she examined a notch which had just been cut on her staff. The blow from the katana had come a good deal closer than she particularly cared to contemplate. She sat on the floor and waited.

After a couple of minutes, Nodoka began to stir. Slowly she levered herself up, until she was kneeling. She looked over at Cologne sitting there as if she had not a care in the world, and winced, sighing. For another couple of minutes no word was exchanged, but finally Nodoka spoke quietly, as if the words were forced from her. "It seems that I must admit defeat. It shall not be said that I ignore the demands of honor. I will keep my word and destroy the contract when Ranma gets home."

Cologne nodded, and rose to her feet. Without saying anything she turned and left, leaving Nodoka kneeling on the floor, reflecting bitterly on her loss and the way she had been manipulated into it. As Cologne walked along the streets, she was mentally checking off items on a list, feeling well pleased with her progress. When she returned to the café, she smiled happily upon seeing that a package had been delivered, which was addressed to her from the other elders. It was time to put another set of plans into effect.

When Akane, Nabiki and Ranma arrived home that afternoon, they were surprised to have Kasumi ask them to put on their kimonos and come out to the dojo. Although puzzled, they did as she asked, and came to the dojo to find the others inside, with everything set up for a tea ceremony. The fathers looked like they had been drinking, but were presentable, and Ranma's mother had a severe expression on her face. Kasumi had also joined them.

With some concern about what was happening they fell into their roles, and started going through the ritual. Akane kept an eye on Ranma, and helped him subtly at those points where he seemed uncertain. When the ceremony was complete, Nodoka pulled a piece of paper out and placed it on a dish in front of them. There was a hiss of indrawn breath as everyone recognized the seppuku contract, and wondered just what was going on. The Saotome matron had held her counsel about the purpose of the ceremony from everyone else present.

"M-mother?" Ranma asked nervously, hoping desperately that she was not about to ask him to kill himself. His father Genma was turning quite pale.

"Ranma, my son," his mother answered. "I have come to a decision. Despite your curse, and your unusual behavior around the females in your life, you seem to have grown to be a young man of honor, and indeed a man among men." Genma almost sagged to the floor in relief at these words. "I admit that this seems to be in spite of, rather than due to, your father's upbringing. Nonetheless, the purpose of the contract appears to me to be fulfilled." She held out a book of matches to her son. "Please feel free to do the honors."

Ranma took the matches with a trembling hand. Everyone was watching wide-eyed, with growing expressions of happiness, as he slowly pulled one of the matches out of the book. However, his hands proved to be trembling too much to manage the task. He cast a pleading look to the girl beside him, and Akane gently took the match and lit it. She then placed it in his fingers, and held onto his hand to still the trembling. Gently she guided his hand to the table, where Ranma held the flame to the paper on the dish, and watched spellbound as it caught, and quickly took fire. For a brief moment, the ink which formed the small handprints of a child flared brightly, then burned down into nothingness. Within moments, it was gone, and the flames disappeared. It felt like a vast weight which had been crushing him for many months had disappeared, reduced to the small pile of ashes in front of him. He reached forward tentatively, still unable to believe that this moment had come, and stirred the ashes with a finger. He looked once more at the girl beside him, a light of joy growing in his eyes, and suddenly he was hugging her, not caring that all of the family members were staring at him, stunned. Akane looked around at everyone a little worriedly, but hugged him back. The only people inclined to make a commotion at this display were their fathers, and at a motion from Nodoka's katana they wisely decided to remain silent.

After a few minutes Ranma pulled back, and Akane released him. There was a suspicious glistening about his eyes, but everyone chose to ignore it. He whispered, "Thank you, mother."

She nodded in acknowledgment of his thanks, and responded, "I am proud to have you as my son, Ranma. Now why don't you children run off and deal with your homework or whatever, while we clean up in here."

He smiled at her, then stood and left, with Akane by his side. He felt like he was walking on air rather than the floor of the dojo, and had no idea if he would be able to concentrate on homework when he felt like this. He turned to his fiancée and said, "Akane, we can get to our homework later. Right now I need to celebrate. After we change, what d'ya say we go out and get some ice cream?"

She smiled at him happily and replied, "I think it sounds like a great idea. I'll meet you back downstairs in a few minutes."

When they got to the ice cream shop, they were startled to see Ukyo and Konatsu leaving it together. They drew back quickly to avoid being seen, while turning to give one another puzzled looks, before turning back once more to watch the pair walk out of sight. Not knowing what to make of it, they shrugged it off then went inside to enjoy their treat. For once, Akane was able to enjoy the experience of eating ice cream with Ranma in his male form, who was so exhilarated that he didn't even think of changing into a female this time.

* * *

That evening during training, Shampoo got a hit in which Akane should have easily been able to block, and Cologne called a halt. ‹That one's going to leave a nasty bruise on her ribs,› she thought to herself. Aloud she declared, "Fool girl! A beginner could have stopped that one! What has you so distracted tonight?"

Akane was rubbing her side, muttering worse insults about herself than Cologne was saying. "I guess I was just remembering supper this evening. Ranma helped me to make a perfectly good tempura, but our fathers acted like it was poisonous. They were making all of these stupid faces while they were eating it."

"Has Ranma been helping teach you to cook recently?" the elder asked. "And I thought he was the one who usually had to try your food first."

Akane blushed. "Yes, he's been helping me with my cooking lately. And, um ... we have an agreement where our fathers are supposed to be the ... um ... guinea pigs."

Cologne chuckled, and even the perpetually sad Shampoo smiled at this. The elder thought back to the time some six years ago when she had started teaching Shampoo to cook, and the disasters which had originally come from her efforts. "If you'd like, child, after our training sessions I could attempt to give you a few pointers in the kitchen as well."

Akane looked at her hopefully. "Would you? Ranma's trying hard, and I'm making progress, but it seems to be going pretty slowly."

Cologne answered, "I offered, and I will. But it will take you time to learn, just as it does to learn anything. You must console yourself to patience." Her voice turned sharper. "For now, get your mind back to the present! Shampoo, please turn it up a notch. Let's see if a greater threat of bruising will bring about a greater concentration."

* * *

More time passed. Nabiki had paid off most of the people necessary, and was only awaiting raising the additional funds necessary to pay off the rest. The most overt hostility toward her was declining, though still present, and Ranma had been forced to have little "talks" with a few people about it. Kodachi Kuno was regularly seen out and about town with Ryu Kumon, and Ukyo had finally acknowledged that she and Konatsu were dating. She and Ranma had had a long and very private conversation on the subject, from which Ukyo had emerged looking very embarrassed and Ranma looking quietly satisfied. Ukyo had withheld the information about Cologne's potion from Ranma, as she was still a bit embarrassed about how she had been tricked. Graduation day was fast approaching for Nabiki and Tatewaki, and both were looking forward eagerly to leaving Furinkan, each for their own reasons.

Akane and Ranma had also been seen doing more and more things together, as a couple, although they still avoided referring to any of these outings as dates. Still, they were seen with each other regularly at the ice cream shop, the mall, ice skating, and other such venues. Shortly after the destruction of the seppuku contract, Ranma had told Akane one night that he would like to ask her out on an official date, but was still afraid of what their fathers might do. She had responded warmly, telling him shyly that she would like that too, but agreed with the need to be wary of their parents.

One Friday evening, Genma and Soun announced that they had received word from a shrine in another city which needed their help, and was promising them a reward in exchange. They said that they felt it was their duty as martial artists to respond, and that they should return after the weekend. Everyone was suspicious that there was more to the story, but could get nothing else out of them, and the two of them disappeared early Saturday morning.

That Saturday afternoon, Akane showed up in the family room wearing her gi. Ranma was lying on the couch reading a manga, but paused and looked over at her, noting that she was watching him with an anticipatory look.

"Hi, Ranma," she practically cooed. "How about coming out to the dojo and sparring with me?"

Ranma thought it over, then shrugged. "Sure," he replied. He got up and followed her out.

Once they were out there, Akane turned to him and asked, "Ranma? Am I or am I not a martial artist?"

Ranma looked at her in confusion. "Well, yeah, you are. You're not exactly in my league, but sure, you're a martial artist."

The girl looked at him with a fire burning in her eyes. "Am I not in your league because I'm just not good enough, or because no one has been willing to train me to that level?"

Ranma was feeling uncomfortable with this conversation. "Well, look, Akane. I'll admit that you're not bad, and sure, you're really strong. But your speed doesn't come close to mine, your balance ain't the best, and in general you just got a long way to go. I mean, look how easily I can dodge you. Maybe you should recognize your limitations."

Akane felt her temper flare, but mercilessly ground it down. She could not afford it today. "If I could manage to knock you down while sparring, just once, would you agree that I have sufficient potential to be worth training? Would you agree to train me no matter how much you don't like the idea of hitting me?"

Ranma was starting to feel his own temper fray. "Why are you pushing this Akane? You know how I feel about it! I can't stand the thought of hurting you! It just ain't worth it!"

Akane shouted back at him. "I'm a martial artist too! I love the art just as much as you! Why should I have to put up with being told that I'm not worth training! What will it take to convince you! Are you so scared that I might actually be able to knock you down!"

"I ain't scared of nothing!" he yelled back. "You haven't got a chance of knocking me down, and you know it!"

"Big words Ranma! Do you dare to back it up? Would you give me your word that if I can knock you down, that you'd train me properly?"

Ranma felt his anger turning cold as he looked at her. They'd had this sort of argument before, why did she have to keep on about it? "Fine! If that's the way you want it, I will, but this is the last time! If you can manage to take me down, I swear that I'll train you properly! If you don't, then you don't ever bring it up again!"

Akane hesitated, but then firmed up her resolve. "Okay! Are you ready?"

"Bring it on, tomboy!"

They closed and Ranma started dodging Akane's punches and kicks as he always did. He watched her carefully, but there was nothing new here. Her speed, her moves, it was all exactly what he was used to, and he knew that there was no way that she would even be able to land a single hit, let alone knock him down.

Even as he completed this thought he realized in astonishment, and much too late, that the punch aimed at his chest was just a feint. It caught him in his upper arm and numbed it, leaving the entire arm hanging uselessly. He shifted to remove the need to use that arm for blocking, and concentrated on watching for any further unexpected tricks, while wondering where she had learned that move. Not that it was going to do her a lot of good; feeling was already starting to return to the arm, and he'd have use of it back shortly.

He dodged another kick, not realizing that she had expected him to dodge in exactly the way he had, as it set him up for her next move. She came in fast with a two punch combo, and even as Ranma moved to dodge the first punch, he realized with renewed amazement that the second one was coming in too fast to dodge, and he was going to have to block it. He moved to do so, still confident, and his ears simply did not process with sufficient speed the words he had never expected to hear from her. "Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken!" In shock he watched the fist blur and slip right past his block, followed immediately by a hundred more punches to which he did not react in his shock. Finally, after far too long, he got his arms moving and matched her speed, blocking her punches, but the damage had already been done. He was falling, and his back slammed into the floor heavily.

He rolled away from her quickly, ending up still lying on the floor but propped up on one elbow. He was staring at her, wheezing, trying to get his diaphragm working properly again. Akane was moving toward him again, at high speed, and with chagrin he held a hand up, requesting a moment's grace. In doing so, he knew that he was admitting defeat, at least insofar as their challenge was concerned. As Akane backed away, the glowing look in her eyes said that she realized it also.

It was only seconds before he had himself fully under control again, and he climbed to his feet, eyeing her speculatively. "Okay, I'll admit, I sure wasn't expecting that. And I guess it serves me right, underestimating any opponent, even if it is one with which I thought I was familiar. I suppose that you were holding back at the beginning to set me up?" He nodded after she did. "You did it beautifully, I gotta admit. Care to tell me how you learned that move?" His eyebrows had risen with the question, as he struggled to figure out the answer for himself and failed.

Akane shook her head. "Not yet. I promise though, you'll find out soon. The important thing right now is, are you going to keep your word?" The look in her eyes turned pleading, hoping not to be hurt by his rejection of her skills yet again.

Ranma saw that look and sighed, knowing there was only one answer that he could give, and how much it was going to cost his nerves in the months to come. At least she was probably going to be pretty happy, except for the times when she was groaning over how sore she was. "Of course, tomboy. I said I would, and I always keep my word. I'll train you, and I promise I'll do my best to make you as good as I possibly can."

Akane jumped at him and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Ranma! Thank you! You won't be sorry. I'll make you proud of me, you'll see."

"Yeah, well, we'll see how ecstatic you are once you see what some of the advanced training our school requires is like. No time like the present to begin, either. I'm guessing that you've been training in secret during those evening disappearances, right?" She nodded mischievously. "Okay, I'm going to put you through your paces right now to see where you're really at, and what we need to focus on next."

Later, while Akane was soaking in the furo and regarding the masses of bruises adorning her body, she thought over her recent training. ‹I thought that Cologne was a hard taskmaster. Huh. If this afternoon was any indication, I'm going to be looking back with fond memories over how relaxing it was to train under her.› She smiled to herself, realizing that she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

On Monday the fathers returned while their children were at school. Nodoka and Kasumi both noted with concern that they were acting like little children with a secret. They were grinning at one another constantly, nearly giggling, unable to keep still. When questioned, all they would say is, "We have something for Akane and Ranma when they get home."

The day dragged on, but the afternoon finally arrived, and the teenagers in question walked into the house to find their fathers waiting for them. "We need to talk to the two of you," Genma declared.

The pair regarded their fathers with extreme wariness, and glanced at one another worriedly. Nonetheless, they followed the two men into the family room, and Nabiki joined them. Nodoka was already there, wondering what her husband was up to, and Kasumi trailed in from the kitchen, following everyone else.

Akane looked around the room, glad to see that at least there wasn't a priest present. "What's up, daddy?" she wanted to know.

"This," her father replied. He pulled out what appeared to be some sort of bottle or vase, made of a dark blue glass, but with a stopper in the top. It had a globular shape near the bottom, and a narrow neck. It did not look in the least bit arcane or mysterious, but everyone there was well aware that this meant nothing.

"What's that?" Ranma asked hesitantly.

Genma answered him. "According to the scroll which accompanied it, this is a genie's bottle. When we pull out the stopper, we will be permitted to make one wish. Naturally, we intend to wish that the two of you will be married immediately."

Akane's and Ranma's faces both turned red in anger. "Dammit pop, what the hell do you gotta go and pull stunts like this for? Can't you just leave us be?"

Akane started to shout, "Daddy, if you do this, I swear ..."

She was interrupted as a short and elderly martial artist dropped from the ceiling and grabbed the bottle from Soun's hand. He was chortling as he looked at it. "Woo-hoo! A little bird told me you boys had found this, and I see it was right! Just think of the things I could do with this wish! I could make all of the girls in the world willing to give me their pretties!" He jumped out of the way of the two men who dove at him, and sent them crashing into the floor with seemingly light taps. Ranma and Akane both grabbed for him, but he dodged them as well, ending up on the other side of the room.

"Happosai, don't do it!" Ranma shouted as he leaped back up.

"Too late my boy!" Happosai laughed as he pulled out the stopper.

Everyone watched, startled, as he faded from sight. Kasumi was the first to point and say, "Look! He's in the bottle!" Everyone stared at the bottle and saw that, indeed, a miniature Happosai was staring furiously at them through the glass. They could just barely hear the tiny sounds of his voice, and everyone blushed as they made out the profanities he was shouting.

At that same moment, an equally elderly woman walked through the doorway, picked up the stopper, and shoved it onto the bottle. Lifting the bottle up to her eye, Cologne said, "Hello there Happi! I do hope you like your new home." She then turned to Soun and Genma. "I and the rest of the Amazons thank you, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome. Your plan worked perfectly. We are indebted to you for your aid in helping us to capture this old pervert who has been our enemy for so long." She slid the bottle into a pocket and hopped out of the room, while everyone stared after her in bewilderment, the two men more confused by this strange turn of events than anyone else. As she left, it was just barely possible to make out Happosai's promises of vengeance on his two former pupils.

"But ... but ..." Soun Tendo found his voice only after she was gone. "But that wasn't our plan. We didn't know it would do that."

Genma was looking equally puzzled, but his eyes cleared and he slapped his friend on the back. "No matter, Tendo. We may not have gotten what we wanted, but this is hardly an outcome to disappoint! We are free of our hated master at last!"

Soun turned to him joyfully. "You are quite right, Saotome! Come, let us celebrate this wonderful event!" The two men left the room, in search of sake.

Nabiki looked around at everyone who was left. "Okay. What just happened?"

* * *

Two weeks later, Cologne showed up at the door of the Tendo home just as they finished their dinner. The school year had ended a few days before, and Nabiki was starting preparations to leave to attend university, while Akane and Ranma were starting to think about their senior year. Although it seemed rather soon to most people, Ryu Kumon had proposed to Kodachi Kuno and she had accepted. When Ryu had stopped by the Tendo home to tell everyone the news, he had seemed surprised that Ranma did not appear to be more upset.

Akane had continued to train with Cologne and Shampoo for a short time after winning her challenge to Ranma, but had stopped a week before. She had decided that the training she was getting from Ranma, in both martial arts and cooking, was proving sufficient, and she no longer needed the additional help from the Amazons. The two fathers might have disagreed with her opinion that her cooking was improving, but they were clearly biased, given that they were the ones suffering from her education. As a matter of fact, she was getting better, although she still had a long way to go.

Cologne accepted the invitation to join them at the table, and then dropped the bombshell, "Shampoo, Mousse and I will be leaving tomorrow to return to our village." Everyone other than Akane and Kasumi stared at her open-mouthed.

Ranma asked tentatively, "And when will you be back?"

She smirked at him. "We won't be coming back, sonny. I know this will break your heart, Ranma, but you're not married to my granddaughter anymore. The Kisses of Marriage and Death have been voided, and we're going home for good. We'll be leaving you in peace."

The two fathers were starting to get joyful looks on their faces, but Ranma was still eyeing her suspiciously. "This is a bit sudden, old ghoul."

"Actually, it's not sudden at all," she replied. "We've been working toward this for the last several weeks. I didn't tell you earlier because you would have been suspicious, just as you are now, and you might have interfered in our plans." Cologne smirked even more infuriatingly. "However, Akane here has known for a while. I'm the one who trained her for your little match."

Ranma turned and looked, stunned, at the girl beside him. She smiled at him and nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" he wanted to know.

"Cologne already told you why. Would you have believed it, if you had been told? Or would you have thought that they were up to something else, and been running around trying to figure out what it was? Besides, I figured you would have objected to her training me, and I wasn't going to risk that."

"You're darn right I would have objected!" he responded heatedly. "They could have killed you! You can't trust them! You know that!" He paused, wrestling himself back under control, and grew thoughtful. Then he continued, "Still, if they really do leave, I suppose there's no harm done."

Cologne chuckled. "I promise Ranma, we really are leaving. Everything's been done that I intended to do, so we're ready to go. Akane here learned the truth about Ryoga and P-chan - I can't promise he won't be back, but the truth is out now. Neither Ukyo nor either of the Kuno's is after either of you anymore. You've agreed to train Akane, which, frankly, you needed to do if the two of you are to have any hope of being true partners. The seppuku contract is no longer hanging over your head. I shipped Happosai back to our village, where he is still imprisoned in that bottle, which happens to be an ancient Amazon artifact. Pantyhose Taro was invited to our village after Happosai arrived, and under threat of what we could do to him inside that bottle, Happosai agreed to give him a new name. So you shouldn't need to worry about that boy coming around anymore either."

Ranma was staring at her, all his innate hostility toward her confused by the long litany of what she claimed she had done. The matter-of-fact way she spoke seemed to leave no doubt that she had done it. "But why? I mean, okay, you decided to give up on me being Shampoo's husband, and I'm happy about that and won't rock the boat by asking questions. But why not just leave, then? Why do all of these other things for us? Why take on the role of my ... fairy ghoul-mother?"

Cologne winced at this description, tempted to whack him over the head, then gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully before answering. "You might say that what happened at Jusendo was a bit of a wake-up call for us. Relations had become somewhat strained. When we decided it was time to go home, we also decided we wanted to depart peacefully. We didn't want to run the risk of having you consider us to be enemies. No, we felt it worthwhile to ... make amends, particularly as the cost was not really very high for us."

Ranma looked down, hating the reminder of what had happened at Jusendo, and the implied suggestion that he might consider doing something like that to the Amazons. Still, he understood their point of view, and accepted her statement. He bowed to her from his position at the table. "Then I thank you for what you have done, and promise that for my part I hold no enmity, provided that you leave us in peace henceforth."

Cologne bowed back. "Agreed."

The two fathers were bubbling over in rapture. Genma was crying, "This means that there are no impediments left. Our two children can get married at once!"

"Indeed Saotome," Soun cried, "let us call a priest immediately!"

At that, Akane and Ranma turned twin expressions of both rage and fear onto their fathers. Cologne cleared her throat. "Oh, there is one more thing," she said. The two men paused in their celebration, and all eyes turned to her once more.

"There are people here in Nerima with whom I will continue to correspond. I have asked them to keep an eye on things, and to keep me informed. If these two youngsters decide for themselves that they want to get married, or have any other sort of relationship, well, that's fine with me. However, if you two gentlemen attempt to force them into _anything_ ..." She grinned at them malevolently. "... anything at all, then we will release Happosai. You know, he's been saying some pretty dreadful things about what he's planning to do to the two of you, in return for betraying him."

Akane and Ranma grinned in manic glee. Soun and Genma wailed, "But we didn't know anything about it!"

Cologne looked them over and smirked. "I know that. And you know that. Too bad that Happosai doesn't know it."

The two men looked at one another and shuddered in terror. "Saotome ..." Soun cried. "I know Tendo, I know!" Genma wept. "I guess we'll just have to hope they decide on their own!" Soun bawled, and the two men collapsed on each others' shoulders, crying.

Cologne rose to her feet. "I'm afraid that I must be going, children. I have some packing left to do tonight. I wish you well." Everyone other than the fathers stood and bowed to her, and then she left.

Ranma turned to the girl beside him, gave a glance at their fathers, and then looked her in the eyes smiling. He took her hands in his. "So, Akane, how'd you like to go on a date with me tomorrow night? Maybe dinner, and a movie afterward?"

"Mmmm," she purred. "I'd really like that. Just one more thing though, that I've been wanting to do for a long time now." With that, she put her arms over his shoulders, and pressed her lips into his. After a startled moment he kissed her back. From this point on they were in control of their own relationship, and they forgot everyone else in the room as they lost themselves in that thought.

**THE END **

* * *

**Author's note:**

I'd like to thank borg rabbit for the phrase "fairy ghoul-mother," and permission to work it into the story.


End file.
